


Time Unlocked

by Writersgirl3



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Soulmate AU - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Can you tell I don't know what I'm tagging cause I can, Codenames, Eventual Logicality - Freeform, Fluff, Hacking, Human Sides (Sanders Sides), I have better goals but this is also one, I need some better goals, I will send a smile emoji or photo of my dog to anyone who recognizes it, I'll try to keep tags updated, I'm bad at this, Life goal: be in the tag blog on Tumblr, Manipulation, Mild Angst, Nameless Character Death, Not kidding, Please comment and party with me I'm bored, Psychological Torture, Rebellion, Small Death, So..., Some nice filler fluff this chapters, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, Spot the fandom reference, The one about weird or strange a03 tags, Torture, Work In Progress, before I really go for some angst, bookstore, brief mention - Freeform, broken au, but more fluff, character torture, eventaul prinxiety, government rebellion, lol, paper rebellion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-07-05 02:05:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 33
Words: 32,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15854007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writersgirl3/pseuds/Writersgirl3
Summary: Timer Soul Mate AUMost people did the math as soon as possible, figuring out what age they would meet their match.Some were secretive, hiding the display from anyone but the closest of the close. Logan kept his firmly covered, he loathed what was underneath.Virgil keeps his beneath a hoodie. A new kid in the town, bustling with Young Adults just like him.Pattons own timer has announced itself finished, the display showing 0. He has one hour, he looks around and meets eyes with Roman. Why does he feel this way??





	1. Countdown

**Author's Note:**

> Look at that its started!! Just a brief drabble as I really wanted to start this today. I am excited to start this tooth rotting fluffy fic as my other story has really just been an angsty sob fest so this is quite different. Please leave any thoughts, kudos, or comments below you're all awesome!  
> Also stalk my tumblr @Writersgirl3   
> I will probably also be better at talking on there, and responding to things. I am so pumped for this story and I am excited to show whats in my mind. I also may start posting some of my other original stories to so thats a possibility ah so many thoughts!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1: Edited 
> 
> Logan learns some unexpected information.

 

Nothing but curiosity seemed to fill Logans mind lately, butterflies twisting in his stomach every time he looked at his wrist. 342. His glass screen displayed the numbers 342, just over two weeks until he would meet his match, his soul mate. Questions seemed to constantly pour over him, so many different variables. Would his match be a boy? Or a girl? Maybe a someone who didn’t fall into the two categories, or changed between them. Would it be love at first sight, someone he knew? Or would they meet and fall deeper into love over time? His mind refused to quiet down, almost seeming to speed up as each number disappeared.

He twisted his arm, watching the reflection on the glass, before rubbing his fingers across it. He needed a distraction, something to keep him from only focusing on the screen before him. He looks at his bookshelf, hoping one of the various stories would catch his eye. They just seemed to stare back at him, some even seeming to make it worse. The various stories, some science, some math, some childhood story books, and the ones he wanted to continue to pour over, soul mates. 

It finally became clear that no distraction would be had, so he stood from his desk, moving to get his pajamas on and crawl under his covers. He picks up the book he was rereading, still enchanted by the Young wizard, and the magical world he was learning to be apart of. When Logan had read it as a younger child, he related to the outcasted child, now it served as a reminder to find magic within the real world. He reads several chapters, until his eyes start to close themselves, and he doesn’t remember reading the last few pages. With that, he marks his page and turns off his lamp, curling up and finally falling asleep.

  
  


The next morning comes quickly, and Logan checks his timer as soon as his mind is awake. He glances at the display, and blinks at the 338 on the screen. Surely, he had been asleep longer than four hours, the sun was up. He rolls to look at his clock, and it read nine o’clock. It had been about 11 when he had decided to go to bed. He frowns and lays back on his mattress, trying to figure out why the number was chewing on him today. 

He sits up suddenly, as the places fall into place. The numbers were off, it should have read 332. But why would his numbers be off? Stomach twisting, he rolled out of bed, grabbing his laptop and moving to his desk. His foot bounces anxiously as he waits for the web browser to load. His stomach twisting as he begins to type out the various search responses. Several poor phrasings led him to nothing, and finally he searched the correct phrase. 

‘Why has my timer stopped working?’

He chews his lip, before hitting enter, watching the results load on the screen. He feels sick as he clicks on the first result. 

 

He opens several more results, desperately hoping for one to say the others were lying. It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t be true! 

And yet… Nearly an hour in and his results had led to one answer, a terrible answer that made his heart twist.

Timers had slowed down, numbers had changed suddenly, but there was only one reason timers simply stopped.

Death.

Logans match, was dead.

Tears burn in the corners of his eyes as he repeats the phrase in his head, acknowledging the truth in it. He found himself mourning, crying over his match, whom he had never known. Whom he had never met. The tears drop down his cheeks as he turns to glare at the glass, what had he done to deserve this? 

He didn’t deserve this! He had been good, why would he be punished like this?! What did he do that deserved the death of his mate?

He was alone. He didn’t have a match, he didn’t have someone to live to be old with. The angry flash sinks back into misery, as he buries his head in his arms, allowing himself to grieve over what he had lost. His rationale chimed in that he hadn’t lost anything, that it wasn’t his yet, but it didn’t matter. Logic worked poorly when emotions were strong.

When he finally feels ready to proceed, he opens his web browser again, looking into what life would hold for him now. He found a poor amount of information online, it seemed as though people who held this fate often kept quiet. A death before the match was unheard of, at least in his experience. He would fall into the rejects of society it seemed, with those who rejected their mates for one reason or another.

The glass glints, catching his eye and he stands, disgusted by its seemingly mocking attitude. That it was now just an empty number stuck to him forever. He digs into his drawer, grabbing an old shirt and moving quickly. He scours the house until he finds a pair of scissors, setting to destroying the fabric right there. He shredded the shirt, trying to pour some of his anger into the motions as he made the shirt into strips. 

Jaw set, he starts to wrap his arm. Covering his timer fully, and then with a few more layers, so it wouldn’t slide and be revealed. He didn’t want to see the thing again, he’d cut it out if he could. He wouldn’t speak about this, he wouldn’t let the truth of himself be known. He would lie, if it came down to it. But he knew, he never wanted to see those wretched numbers again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going through and editing this work, which means that the chapters will begin saying edited on them. While I am not completely revamping the story, some little things might change here or there. If I think something is important enough to the story, I'll make a note in the newest chapter when I post.  
> Thanks for all the wonderful feedback! It fuels me!


	2. Chapter 2- Edited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman POV 
> 
> Oh, is this a timer or a coffee shop au??

Roman lay on his bed, eyes roaming over the posters across his walls. The variety matched him, and though some people insisted it was childish, they had a calming presence about them. Reminders of musicals he had performed in, or ones he enjoyed. Different bands, celebrities, movie posters. The people smiling across the room were a comfort for Roman, in a way, it helped him feel as though he belonged right there with them.

He adjust himself on his bed a few more times before finally dragging himself up. He moves to the kitchen, opening his freezer to pull a pizza from the already precariously stacked pile. He slowly unwrapped it and set it in the toaster oven on his counter. The first night he had moved in, he had set off the fire alarms by using the real oven and had banned himself from using it.

He double checks the timer on the oven, then glances at his own wrist. Before making his way back to his room. He flops back on his bed and glances at his timer again, 23. As time had continued to count down, he felt himself getting more and more focused on it, anxiety chewing away at him. Each day felt longer than it should, and somehow, they were definitely longer than the past 24 years he had had the display. Every one assured him it was normal, but he still had to resist the urge to stare at it constantly. The past 2 days had been torture, and he just wanted to know.

He had scoured online, forums and anything he could find about information. He checked his calendar, checked his clock, anything to try and pass the time any quicker. He stood again, going to check on his pizza, with only a minute or two having passed. He couldn’t find anything that allowed time to pass normally anymore. 

Even by the time his pizza was cooked, he’d eaten it, and had cleaned up, the display had just shifted to 22. He stared at it, urging it to move faster, for time to go by at anything other than this torturous speed. 

This was surely torture, as nothing seemed to pass time still, he bounced around the apartment. He cleaned his front room, showered. He checked that he was clean shaven and sang. He lifted weights, showered again, cleaned the fridge, mopped the floor, and finally allowed himself to look at the display. 

15.

Time refused to cooperate, and he finally gave up, getting ready for bed despite it being just after 7. He knew he would toss and turn, unable to quiet his racing mind, but he was out of other distractions. He dressed himself in his favorite pajamas, a joke pair he had received in high school. The pajama pants were plastered with his face, but they were so soft that Roman loved them. He nudged his fan on, white noise. And pulled his drapes shut so any extra light would be kept outside. He got a cup of tea, using the chamomile to calm him, and for good measure, even put some lavender spray on his pillow. Every trick he had for falling asleep.

With each measure he put in place, he reminded himself it was time for bed. And when he finally crawled under his covers, his eyes felt heavy. Despite the exhaustion that ran over him, he still rolled around, unable to find any comfortable position, unable to quiet his mind. It felt like ages before he finally drifted to sleep.

Somehow, he doesn’t wake through the night, and when he opens his eyes, light is trying to stream through his curtains. He yawns, stretching out and closing his eyes, working his mind to begin functioning. 

When he has enough sleep from his eyes, he glances at his wrist. Then glances at his clock. His mind began racing as he lept up, he was meant to meet his soul mate in less than a half hour! He wasn’t even close to ready!

He turns into a blind rush, no longer counting each moment, but hoping they last long enough for him to be ready. He drags his hair into cooperation and gets dressed. He takes the briefest moment to check that he looks presentable in the mirror before rushing to his car. His body aches for coffee and he pulls over to a little coffee shop, shoving his car in park and rushing inside. He didn’t even know where he was going, but he hoped he would know, that he would have time. He taps his foot as he pays, waiting for his black tea when he finally allows himself to look at his wrist. 

0

He had one hour, this hour he would meet his soul mate. 

He doesn’t hear the barista the first several times they call his name, and he finally focuses, looking over to the boy at the counter, who held his drink in hand. He blinks, looking closer as he sees the same person also had a blinking display, 0s being shown as well.

He swears his heart stops as he looks into the beautiful blue eyes of the barista. He has such beautiful freckles dotting his face. The boy seems just as shocked, as he stares at Roman as well.

They only finally are stirred from their awe when an electronic pip sounds through the room.

‘Match Found. Please report to the Department of Timer Matches to declare status.’ After the robotic women speaks, the timers both flash green, and the displays go blank. The sandy haired boy smiles, and startles Roman as he steps forward. 

“Roman…” He read the side of the cup, catching sight of the cold brew label and his grin widens a little more, “My name is Patton… And it seems as though its my cold brewed heart that is warmed today…”

Roman half laughs, as he accepts the drink, still in utter shock about the moment. But he is thrilled none the less, he has finally found his mate.


	3. Chapter 3- Edited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil POV 
> 
> Virgil seems to find someone like him. Right?

Virgil continued to look around, surely he looked like an idiot. He turned while he walked, looking at each building completely awestruck. He had never seen so much stuff, so much of anything. He tried to make sure that it wasn’t obvious this was his first time on his own like this, but even he knew he was hiding it poorly. He just hoped no one would question it.

He simply had to know what the city was like, even if it required sneaking past his mother to do it. 

He glances to make sure his wrist is still covered, before continuing his walk, trying to not gawk at every thing that amazed him. It was hard, each sense so vibrant that he was just in awe. The smells, the sounds, the sights. Every part of it was so different to his own upbringing, and such a wonderful contrast. He had grown up in a world too quiet, too safe. Even as it creeps towards being overwhelming, he is thrilled.

Feeling the pull of panic start to increase, he looks around, a small bookshop catching his eye. It looked old, and almost forgotten. It was perfect, and he stepped inside quickly, taking a deep breath.

No one really paid him any mind, and he had to stop himself from counting each person he had seen. There were so many, and they were each unique. His life had begun and ended with his parents, and no one else, except a cat or stray animal he would help take care of. He had endured it for almost 20 years, but now he finally had to see the world. 

And he was so happy he had.

As soon as mom had driven to work, he’d been ready. Backpack loaded as he counted the correct amount of time, before he had darted down the driveway. He vaguely knew how to get to town and had set out quickly.

His mind battles out his opinions. Part of him furious that he was denied this world, denied being a part of it. But he also understood why that was the case. He was different than the rest of them.

Virgil had spent his life being trained to see every detail, every thing anyone might try to hide from him. Making him painfully observant. He leaned against a bookshelf as he surveyed the store.

His eyes draw naturally to the brown haired boy, who is perched at a table. He chews his lip, as he reads over his book. He must be Virgil's age, but is awfully dressed up in a button up shirt and tie. Virgil almost believes that is what drew his attention, but quickly realizes that it is actually how intently the boy is hiding his arm. The shirt is long sleeve, but the edges reveal the side of bandages. The boy also keeps shifting it, moving it to a subconsciously comfortable level, before realizing and tucking it close to him again. 

The stranger was nestled in one of the smaller tables of the little attached coffee shop, his drink seemingly forgotten as he read insistently over the books he had stacked around him. Virgil cocked his head, and looked over the covers of the books.

‘Evolution of Timers.’ 

_ Evolution of treason would be a more accurate title… _

The book was also labeled as a non fiction, and Virgil rolls his eyes softly, moving over to the stranger. This person could possibly be an ally, someone like him. 

As Virgil approaches, he clears his throat, the other boy jumps, looking up as he begins to apologize. 

“S-sorry, I’ll move…”

“No…! No, I am.. I’m new to town and I…” Virgil's cheeks flush red as his mind desperately tries to come up with a way to explain what he was doing and not sound insane. 

“Ah, starting for the spring semester?”

Virgil chews his lip, before nodding, not even sure what he had just agreed to. 

“I’m… My name is Virgil… And I just, you were reading, and your arm…”

The other looks down at his arm and takes a quiet breath, “That obvious, huh?”

“I… Well, If you know what signs you’re looking for…” 

The two slip into an awkward silence, before the boy pulls out a seat beside him, “My name is Logan…”

Virgil nods softly as he sits down, watching the other carefully. 

“So, you’re like me…?” Logan asks, and Virgil surveys him carefully, but determined to not give up whatever charade he had managed to create, he nodded.

“Its terrible… I feel like an outcast…”

Virgil glanced at Logans arm again and nodded, “I guess, I’ve never known any different…”

Logan raises an eyebrow at Virgil and he realizes he has likely said the wrong thing, and desperately hopes he can backtrack before something awful becomes of the interaction.

He glances around, still expecting his mother to leap around any corner and scream at him for running away. When he looks back at Logan, he’s shut the book with a huff.

“That good huh?”

Logan rolls his eyes, “Gives a little information about outcasts but its nothing like I was hoping…”

Virgil begins to cling to the words, was it possible that Logan was like him somehow? Or that rules had changed?

“There is no explanation though… It’s just how it is…”

“Its cruel.”Logan says tersely and Virgil nods softly. This time, the conversation slips into quiet again, as both boys are cautious to actually speak to the other, unsure of what to say next.

Luckily, Virgil is saved from having to make more small talk, as a newcomers voice breaks out over the room. 

“Logan!”

Virgil searches for the owner of the voice, his eyes landing on a beaming boy, a pale gray cardigan hanging on his shoulders as he waves happily at Logan. His hand looped on someone else’s, as he tugged the blushing man over with him. They moved with a surprising elegance despite the slight bumbling the second man seemed to show.

Yet, as soon as Virgil looked in his eyes, he was entranced. He swear he felt time pause for just a moment as he was lost in the light of this strangers eyes. The two seemed to hold only sights for each other, the moment quickly broken when the cardigan wearing boy tugged him forward.

The cardigan wearer pushed the other into a seat beside Virgil and Logan as they scooted to make room for the new people in the room. Logan seemed to know them, so Virgil waited quietly.

“Lo, oh Logan this is  my match! Isn’t he wonderful?” He gushed, hugging the others arm and looking at him happily. Logan gave a polite smile, nodding softly as he breathed out the next sentence, seeming a bit too proper suddenly, “Ah, es, that is how they work Patton…”

The one who must’ve been Patton laughed, and nodded with what Logan had said.

“It was so amazing… His name is Roman, he was my barista, and we matched and, oh it waas just amazing…” Patton took a deep sigh and Roman chuckled softly, brushing their noses together before sharing a quick kiss.

“I do believe I called being the fanciful one in this relationship…”

Virgil tried to hide the frown that tugged at the corners of his mouth, he wasn’t sure why it seemed to bother him so much.

“What about you Lo?”

Logan bit his lip, and Virgil looked between the two quietly, feeling as if he was missing something, or intruding on strangers. 

Which, he reminded himself, he was.

Logan notices Virgil again and nods resolutely, “ Patton, Roman, this is Virgil.”

“This boy is your match?” Patton squealed and Logan frowned.

“N-no. No.” Logan blinks, glancing at Virgil, “My… my…” 

Patton interrupts him, “Well then what? Logan you were just a day behind me you should have a match I’ve had mine almost a week now!” 

“Patton will you please quiet down?!” Logan said quickly, looking around tensely. He glanced again at the book and Virgil tapped his toes uncomfortably.

Patton's face falls slightly and he looks at Logan, his cheeks tinging slightly pink.

“Virgil and I… We have made brief acquaintance here as… We both suffer the same thing…” Logan ignores the start of a question Patton starts, “Virgil and I… Our timers froze…”

Virgil joined the other two in staring at Logan as if he had sprouted another head. Virgil's mind raced, as he tried to figure out what Logan meant, well obviously he meant that he had a timer and it froze and he… 

Virgil keeps quiet, refusing to speak as Patton's eyes watered, “Oh Logan… Virgil… I’m so sorry… I didn’t even… That… Awful… It happens?” 

Logan seems to understand the mess of words as he nods, “Indeed… I didn’t know myself until it happened… It means that my match passed away…” 

Virgil found the book to make more sense, of course Logan had a timer how ridiculous. 

“Thats horrible…” Roman speaks up and Virgil's eyes snapto him again, his heart jumping softly as he had nearly forgotten there was another at the table. The group slips into silence again before Roman blinks and looks at Virgil. 

“You as well? Your timer froze?” Roman met Virgil's eyes and he couldn’t find words to say. Virgil lacked the ability to form a sentence at the moment so he finally resigned to a simple nod, hoping Roman wouldn’t question him further.

The silence was tense as they all waited for someone else to say something, to move them past the uncomfortable moment they were in.

It wasn’t until Roman suggested that they go out to a nearby bar that the group was able to break out of the strange silence. And it didn’t take much before the others agreed, especially when Roman was insisting he be the one that pays.

As they walk, Virigl finds himself to be quite surprised at how quickly he seems to have made, friends? Did they count as friends yet? Acquaintances at the very least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye look at me! Posting!  
> So I enjoyed writing this chapter and I have enjoyed brainstorming this and considering my other fic was just destruction of these poor boys I am enjoying some nice fluff.  
> Stalk my Tumblr @Writersgirl3  
> Also, I wrote this while listening to Ravenclaw Ambient Mixer and man it was so fascinating and focusing and nice and wonderful and I do recommend.  
> So... Do comment, I love interacting with y'all!!


	4. Set the Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton POV

Patton held onto his matches hand idly, nearly zoning out in the loud music of the bar. He stared across the table, where Logan was once again engrossed in his book. Just looking at him made Patton's stomach jump confusingly. He had found his match, he told himself it was sympathy. Learning that Logan would have to live his life without his match was truly devastating. 

His cheeks burned in shame as he realized how it must look like gloating to Logan and he drops Romans hand. The flirt hardly seems to notice as he continues in some important discussion with Virgil. Despite only having met an hour or two before, the pair seemed to have a great time talking, and arguing with each other.

Logans hand trembles ever so slightly as he reads and Patton feels his heart drop a little more. Finally, he reaches out a hand and presses it to Logans, drawing his attention, “Put it away Lo… Just relax and have some fun…”

“But it doesn’t add up Patton.”

“What doesn’t?” Patton sat up a bit straighter and leaned across the table to hear Logan a bit better.

“My timer freezing… I just… It doesn’t make sense. I can’t explain it but something isn’t right…” His words draw Virgil's attention and Patton notices as he glances to his own covered wrist again. Both boys had covered theirs so insistently, and that they had both frozen…

Virgil nods softly at Logans words and Roman catches Patton's hand again. An awkward silence goes by as they wait for someone else to finish the idea that had been put out there. After a bit, Virgil stands abruptly, “Hey- let's all go dance. It’ll be fun. I’ve never been to any kind of dance so…”

The other three follow him awkwardly to the dance floor as they try to match the crowd. Somehow their jumps always seem to be off, and it's several songs later before they get the hang of the most common steps. 

The crowd cheers as they start a new song, and the boys clumsily try to follow along. Patton swings in Romans arms and lets out a laugh. And before he knows it, he has been spun right into Logans arms. He turns to see Virgil and Roman seeming just as shocked, Logan even seemed surprised. But this seemed to be a part of the dance as the crowd seemed to have done it as well.

Logan pulls on Patton's hands and moves with a mathematic preciseness he knew to be common for Logan. Who often forgot that things like this were expression, and not exact forms, which almost made his an expression that fit him perfectly. 

The two held hands and it felt as if everywhere Logan was touching was electric, the two found each other staring in the others eyes as they moved. Somehow, despite Patton being a clutz and Logan's precision, they moved effortlessly.  The music and steps picked up and they laughed as they followed. A moment of pause has them nearly nose to nose and Patton swears he can feel Logans own pulse beating frantically as they stare so close. The beat resumes and soon Logan is switched away, replaced with a blushing Roman.

The two continue to dance, Patton apologizing every time he seems to step on Romans foot, holding tightly to Roman in any attempt for the grace that had seemed to flow from Logan, the buzz.

This time, instead of a pause, the song ends, and Roman and Patton end, noses touching just slightly. Roman grins and takes the moment to sink Patton into a passionate kiss, before tugging him along to the bar, ordering them both drinks. 

He glances back to see Virgil and Logan slowly headed on their way. Patton tells himself the fog in his head was from the 1 drink he had had earlier, as he sips a water and starts his second drink with Roman. 

This whole soulmate thing seemed to be a little more complicated than Patton had been led to believe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stalk me @Writersgirl3 on Tumblr for free photos of my dog!   
> So I have ADHD and have learned that I thrive off of writing with the Ravenclaw CommonRoom Ambience Mixer. It is so perfect I love it. There is also one for Roman just saying...  
> Anyways, this chapter isn't the best as I have a bad habit of just wanting to skip to the main meat of my story but it takes build up so there! Here it is, chapter four. Leave a comment and come chat with me!!  
> -Tessa


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again! Yay!

Logan pressed himself closer against Patton, his apartment had been the closest of everyones and so they had all decided to walk home to it, as they all had been too drunk to drive.   
Roman was asleep in the recliner and Logans face burns as he pushes Patton into another kiss, tiredly, Patton returns it. He leans against him in the hallway, as they had wandered back for some long forgotten reason. Patton opens his eyes and Logan sees worry flash through them briefly.  
“Patton I always wished our timers matched…” Logan says bravely, suddenly feeling able to communicate things that his sober self avoided talking about, let alone think about.  
“I love you. Ever since you showed up in the chess club and tripped because you were watching my game, or me, I’m not sure.” Logan kisses Patton again as he continues trying to talk.   
Patton nods beneath him, making a soft groan. “I did too… You were so flawless… You were top of the class and smart and those cheekbones…” He gives a tired laugh as he kisses Logan back, obviously having a harder time staying coherent by the sloppy style the two were swapping spit.  
Logan laughs, looking at the blushing form of Patton, his own face burning just as red, he runs his hands down Patton's arms, fully intending to hold the boys hands. He freezes as he brushes the firm outline of Patton's timer.  
Realization slams into him and he jerks back, leaving Patton blinking as Logan took a deep breath, he mustn’t let the drinks get to his head like that. He dragged his sleeping rationale out of its imaginative corner, his hands now trembling.  
He was kissing someone who had a match. He was making out with someone whos match was passed out in his front room! Patton blinked again and looked at Logan, unable to hear the screaming Logan had going on his head.   
“You have a boyfriend. This was a poor decision, we should separate before the liquor influences us to something worse.” He says, forcing himself to sound cold.  
“Logan… I don’t-”   
Logan cuts him off with his hand, turning Patton back towards the front room and locking the door to his own bedroom. He lacks the strength it takes to move any further, sliding with his back against the door until he’s on the floor.  
He wasn’t sure if it was Patton or the alcohol that made every part of him feel like it was tingling but it overwhelming. Logans face was red and he forced himself to take several deep breaths to calm down, closing his eyes.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\\/\/\

There's a loud bang that seems to take extra time to throb around his skull. Pulsing, pulsing. He blinks again, trying to find focus. His room slowly slides into a coherent vision. His glasses still perched on his nose, he still sat on the floor. He had fallen asleep, or passed out here.   
He groans softly, working himself up slowly as he tries to keep his stomach calm. He finally fumbles with his lock to head out to the kitchen, stopping in his tracks to see Patton, cooking.  
The other boy beams at him, looking as if he had had some caffeine directly to his blood instead of alcohol. Logan blinked again, and slowly, some of the events came trickling back. He chose to ignore some, and focused on reminding himself they had come here to sober up, after they had all been drinking. They. All.  
There were three people. Patton was one. Logan turned and saw Roman still asleep on the couch, though he had been thoughtfully tucked in with a blanket and a nearby glass of water.   
He needs to pee, he finds that to be the only thought as Patton waves cheerily, he turns to trudge back down the hall. He opens the door, and flips on the light, stumbling back suddenly.  
“Dude what the Hell! Turn off the light!” The third, Virgil, groaned. From none other than Logans bathtub.   
“Gotta pee…” Logan groans, finding himself irritated with the dark shadow in his bathroom. After several moments of grumbling, Virgil drags himself from the tub and sulks out. Logan, relieved, goes to pee.   
As he returns to the kitchen, he sees Virgil sleepily at the table, with a piece of toast and a coffee in hand. Patton had another mug set for Logan, black coffee, with a spoon, coaster, and handle swung to the right, as if Patton knew exactly how Logan would have done it. Logan reminded himself that Patton had seen him do it several times at least.  
Still foggy, he sits and takes a careful sip of his drink, Virgil still scowls at the table and Roman sleeps on.  
“Patton… How are you even functioning?” Virgil groans, asking the pairs question. Patton moved happily across the kitchen, cooking up some sort of breakfast. Logan was too out of it to care that this was his home, his groceries, Patton was using.  
“Well, I ate last night, and slept, and then had lots of water and ate some more and I felt hungry for breakfast so I decided I would make some for everyone since I figured you would all be, well how you are.”  
Virgil makes a grumbly noise and returns to eating his toast. Patton starts to whistle and Logan watches him, entranced with the focused movements and confident decisions. Its only another 15 or so minutes before Patton sets down a full plate of food for Virgil, Logan, and himself. After a moments pause, he laughs, “Dig in!”  
Slowly, the group obliges, starting to eat quickly. Logan feels the warmth and food soaking through his body. Quieting the pounding in his head and calming his rolling stomach. It seems to help Virgil as well, and they all begin to slowly talk and converse. Roman sleeps on as if he was not in the middle of a loud kitchen, and no one really makes any attempt to keep quiet. He only arises as breakfast is nearly over for everyone else. Of course, Patton had planned on Roman and saved him some aside. The two exchange a quiet kiss and Roman sits down to enjoy the delicious meal his match had made.  
The kiss triggers something in Roman though, the memory. He had kissed Patton. Shit.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman POV

Roman slowly munches on the warm breakfast Patton had prepared. Enjoying the eggs, hashbrowns and toast. He made sure to tease Logan about having no creamer in the house, forcing him to have his coffee black, when he preferred it a light tan color.

“Drinking coffee in its purest form has the highest health benefits, lowest calories, as well as many other health and lifestyle related benefits,”  Logan replied coolly, sipping his own coffee calmly. 

Roman responded by making dramatic faces after each sip, worried that if no one reminded Logan that sugar existed, he would live most his life without enjoying it. Virgil seemed to find the entire tyrade rather amusing, at one time, snorting so hard during a sip of his own drink that he had to spend a few minutes coughing to try and get it out of his lungs. 

“Please, don’t try to kill me.” He chastised, tossing a napkin at Roman, who playfully ducked and beamed at him.

“Trust me sir gloom, if I wished to vanquish you, it would have already been enacted,” Roman gave a playful swoop of his arm in a bow and Virgil rolled his eyes.

“What ever Princey…” 

Roman grinned at the nickname, “Princey? Why, I love it! I shall use it all my days as the dearest of titles!”

“Oh shut up and eat!” Virgil laughed again, and Patton pecked him on the cheek as he stood to clear his plate.

“You are the last one eating dear… We are all waiting on you…” Patton called to Roman cheerily, and Roman focused on his meal, and not on tormenting Virgil.

After Roman had eaten his breakfast, they all pitched together to help clean up. Though most of them were functioning, Patton seemed to be the only one in a particularly cheerful mood. His jokes and pleasantries kept them all smiling though, and between the four of them, the time moved quickly. Logan scolded them when Patton tried to toss Roman a mug to put away, and Virgil had barely caught it as it missed Roman by a foot at least. Patton blushed deep in embarrassment and refrained from throwing any more dishes in the kitchen. 

Roman caught himself watching Virgil several times, and he couldn’t explain why his heart jumped each time. What was wrong with him?! He returned to drying the dishes that Patton carefully handed him, trying to ignore the electricity that seemed to course through him when Virgil's fingers brushed him, as he put away the dishes Roman dried. 

Once finished, Roman hops off the counter, tossing his rag to the ground. He dramatically grabs Patton, pushing the other into a warm kiss, that his match happily returned. The others presence did nothing to stop his racing mind and he smiled gently into Patton's eyes. Despite his confusion, he was determined that it would go away. 

The two pause in the kitchen, Romans hands still tenderly around Patton as he smiles so sweetly at him, Patton gazes in his eyes and it only makes Roman feel even more like a traitor when his heart starts pounding that Virgil may see them. Virgil’s timer was frozen, this was Romans match. He didn’t need to occupy his thoughts with Virgil as often as he seemed to find himself doing this morning. 

He finally moves Patton away, and the clumsy boy knocks into Virgil, pushing him onto the still hot pan on the stove. Virgil's arm presses to the hot metal and  he cries out, jerking back quickly as the others look quickly. Patton, suddenly knowing Virgil needed help, grabs his arm. Immediately he pushes it under the sink, turning on the water to cold and letting it run over Virgil's arm. The burn bordered where Virgil had his own bandage to cover his timer and Patton pulls at it. Logan moves quickly to grab ice from his freezer while Roman simply watches, his mind spinning as he watched the events unfold.

“No!” Virgil yelps, starting forward as Patton pulls it free, and Roman stares, as does Patton. The two seem unable to move as Virgil jerks his arm to his chest, stammering as he looks between the two. His hands tremble, and Roman reaches a hand forward, but Virgil curls back, moving away from them, but unable to escape the kitchen.

“What is it?” Logan finally notices the odd behavior, looking to the group quietly.

“Virgil got burned and…” Roman starts, trailing off as he still tries to understand what he had seen.

“And?” Logan presses, looking to see if Patton would offer any more explanation. Patton was even less help, his mouth opening and closing as he stared between Virgil's arm and the bandage still in his hand. 

“He kept his timer covered for a reason, we all knew it was broken, is this not the case?” Logan adds, trying to understand the strange events unfolding before him.

Roman mutely shakes his head, still staring at Virgil who is starting  to look more and more like a cornered animal that may lash out at any moment.

“Than what?” Logan says irritably, growing impatient with the game the others seem to be playing on them. 

“Its… There isn’t one.” Patton finally says, looking at the bandage while he speaks, “Virgil doesn’t have a timer…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally getting to the stuff I've been dying to write!!!!@!!!!!!   
> Enjoy!
> 
> -Stalk me on Tumlbr @Writersgirl3 and I'll send you photos of my dog.


	7. What

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a tWIST!  
> Virgil POV
> 
> Language Warning! Minor Swearing (Two or three words,)

“Impossible!”

“What?” 

“He doesn’t have one?”

“He must’ve cut it off!”

“He’d have scars!”

Virgil stares in horror as these people he had quickly come to see as friends begin to argue. He had ruined it, he had been discovered. His heart pounds as he holds his arm tight to his body. How could he have been so stupid as to not wear his hoodie!

Again and again, he scolded himself, time seeming to have slowed as the other three argue in slow motion before him. What would happen to him? He had exposed himself and now he would surely suffer the consequence!

The panic continues to grip him, so that he doesn’t realize he’s being spoken to until the others turn to him. 

“Well?” Roman asks, looking at him expectantly.

“W… What?” Virgil croaks, his throat dry as he prepares to be ambushed at any moment.

“Are you going to explain?”

“Explain?” He blinks, relaxing just slightly as attacks seemed to be a bit further away.

Patton nods, “Surely… There must be an explanation…”

They weren’t going to throw him out? Or report him? Virgil's shoulders relaxed a little more and he finally gives a small nods. 

“Yeah… I…” He nods again, motioning them over to the couch and sitting down. He looks at the other three and takes a deep breath. 

“You were taught that these timers were a genetic evolution, correct?”

The three heads bob in agreement, as this was indeed what most people had been taught.

“Well… Its not…”

Of course, the group stares at him as though he had suggested that they go kill someone, well, maybe not that dramatic, but Virgil knew they didn’t believe him, so taking another deep breath, he begins.

“Well… You guys are taught that… And everything is held to keep this true… Its why births are done under anesthesia, why they’re so closely monitored, because they want to get the timers on before people see their children. Thats why becoming a Doctor, specifically in the child, delivery, and child surgery departments, are so highly held. To keep this secret… They’re sworn to secrecy, and watched closely. They of course are paid handsomely, and it takes nearly 15 years of training after High School…”

Each person holds a different expression, Patton seems as if the world is melting before him, Roman enraged, and Logan stares at Virgil in curiosity, “Then how did-”

“Wheres my timer?”

Logan nods and Virgil looks at his wrist, “My mother was a nurse… She was horrified when she found out this was being done… So she hid me, or, rather her pregnancy… She quit when she started to show and stayed in the house… My father supported her and helped her stay hidden… This trip was actually my first time out of my house… Ever. If I was ever discovered… She would most likely be killed, as would my father… And me… Though, we aren’t sure. As we can’t find any information on it, obviously.”

“Then how do you explain matches?” Roman challenges, staring at Virgil intensely.

“They measure your heartrate… You have an hour, once your heart starts accelerating, it electronically signals the other timer and they release a, a love potion pretty much… You are drugged into finding a match… They keep close tabs so that if anything goes wrong, they can interfere before the timer releases.”

“And mine being frozen?” Logan asks suddenly.

“I… I’m not sure… To what my mom learned, it can be a true death of someone on the same hour as you, or a malfunction that makes yours inoperable… Or unable to work right.”

“I know what inoperable means,” Logan says defensively.

Patton looks at Roman quietly, “So… We aren’t soulmates? Just simply drugged to love each other?”

Virgil grits his teeth and gives a reluctant nod, “To, to my understanding… But it's hard to research when you don’t exist and my mom could only ask so many questions…”

“So… This isn’t real? We’ve been lied to and manipulated?” Logan says, his voice giving a soft waver, Virgil nods again.

“But listen! You guys have to pretend you don’t know! Or it could get you all in heaps of trouble!” Virgil warns, as Patton seems to ignore Virgil even speaking to burst out, staring at Logan, “Logan I think I’d rather have you. I loved kissing you.”

 

The group goes silent, as Patton stares at Logan, and Logan stares at Roman, and Roman stares at Virgil, while Virgil looks to each one of them. His pulse was racing again and he simply couldn’t comprehend what was going on. If Patton was going to pursue Roman, then Roman was single but,

“As… As did I…” Logan speaks next and everyone stares at him. 

“Wait! When were you kissing?!” Roman cries out, and Patton shamefully stares at the floor.

“When… Last night… While we were drunk…”

More silence fills the room, tense and uncomfortable until Roman nods, “That… That is not good news… But due to the recent discovery, it is something I can ignore, as I think I am falling for Virgil…”

“Fuck.” Virgil says, standing quickly and moving away, “I gotta leave. I… I…” Roman stares at him as he fumbles, his cheeks burning. 

“Forget I said anything. Haha, jokes on  you it was a lie!” Virgil tries lamely, as Roman catches his arm and holds it gently. The world seems fuzzy when Roman is touching him. Virgil drags himself to focus, to watch Romans lips, those sweet beautiful lips, “And you Virgil?” Roman prods softly, looking at Virgil tenderly.

“I… I really think I like you too Roman…” He finally murmurs. 

Virgil wasn’t sure what he expected, but he didn’t expect the tense silence that followed those words. Each boy staring at his feet while they wait for someone else to speak up. Occassionally, one will glance up, to look at the group around them. Finally, Patton breaks the silence, “This is good though… We can find our own soulmates… And we will each be happier… Just, gonna be awkward here for a while…”

The point blank of Patton's statement cause Virgil to break into laughter, grinning as he nods in agreement with Patton's words. Virgil's giggles seem to infect the other boys, allowing the tense silence to fade into quiet laughter. Virgil felt relieved that he was at least currently, safe. And he was going to enjoy being with his friends here, and to truly find love. 

Slowly, Patton takes Logans hands, curling their fingers together as Roman looks to Virgil with a warm smile. 

“Mr. Doom and gloom? Will you please allow me to try to be your match?” 

Virgil blinked, and gave a small laugh at Romans absurd ways, but eventually, he nods, “Sure Princey… Whatever…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So finally having this happen really has me wanting to work on this story now and I got a good idea while I was typing this on where I can take this so I'm super pumped. Thanks for the kind comments and I hope you enjoy! Follow me on Tumblr @Writersgirl3 and come party with me!   
> Also, if you want to suffer with me, In Our DNA By Altruistic Skittles is an amazing story to start and I eagerly await each time Cat uploads, I really love her stories and its Sanders Side, she also kind of inspired me to start writing on here/writing fics so you know, thats cool too.   
> Anyways, I really should begin to pretend to be asleep, so au revoir!   
> -Tessa


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some nice Logicality fluff, unabashedly,

Patton's emotions were simply put down to turmoil. His head coasted from high to low so often that he felt dizzy, still stuck in the recliner in Logan's front room. He stared at the floor, memorizing the grey carpet as he tried to think. He burned with loss over Roman, of longing for Logan, and of emotions he couldn’t even register at the moment. All he knew was it was simply a mess, a whirlwind of information that threatened to overwhelm him. 

Eventually, he looks up, and sees Logan gazing at him softly, when he sees he has Patton's attention, he waves him over gently. Patton blinks, Roman and Virgil were talking in the kitchen, so he agreed. Neither of the others look over as he stands and moves across the room, deep in their own conversation. He sat beside Logan, keeping a few inches of space between them on the cushioned surface.

Despite the feelings he felt for Roman, that he knew now had been fabricated, guilt still ate at him, for kissing Logan, for wanting Logan more. It was infuriating enough to drive him nearly to tears.

Logan takes his hand, his face unsure but he holds Patton's hand in a firm grip. It's not crushing, just constant, and offers a grounding point that Patton can hold to. Slowly, he rests his head against Logans shoulder, taking careful deep breathes.

“I would also be interested in pursuing you if you would also oblige. We can take it slowly of course, but I do find your presence comforting. You are a wonderful person…” He says slowly, rubbing Patton's knuckles with his thumb softly. His voice is so strangely calm, Patton couldn’t trust his voice to behave even close to that level of control.

“I, I think I would enjoy that…” Patton breathes softly, resting against Logan quietly. Slowly, Logan brings Patton's hands to his lips, giving them a soft kiss, careful and cautious. Patton slowly breaks out into a quiet laugh. 

Patton's hands move over and he runs his fingers over Logans wrist, looking up at him as his fingers trace the glass. His entire world had been thrown completely upside down with Virgil's revelation. It also explained that he had been so stuck thinking about Logan. It had forced him to fall for Roman, is it possible that he was not truly feeling for Logan? Or that it was genuine feeling for Logan, poorly masked by the timers? Questions continued to spin their way through his head, dizzying and overwhelming.

Patton looks now to his own wrist, at the empty display that looked back at him. The zeros that read so plainly that his time had come, that he had been matched. It was useless now, something left of who he once was, in so many different ways, the empty display looking at him, was a representation of himself.

“Virgil?” He calls softly, looking to the pair in the kitchen. Virgil turns and looks over at him quietly. Neither seem angry that Patton has called their attention, which is a relief to him.

“These… are they removable?” Patton asks, motioning to the glass on his wrist.

Roman stares at him, while Virgil takes a moment to ponder the question. 

“I, I suppose so… But we shouldn’t pursue it, if it was discovered what you guys know, that I exist… It would all be terribly problematic for everyone…” Comes the careful answer. 

Of course, Virgil had said it would get them killed for knowing, and that he would need to keep up appearances. Patton nods, quieting down and sinking into Logans arms again, he leans into the calm presence Logan brings. He couldn’t imagine not sharing his feelings of his love with the world. Could he get away with a different match than the one that had been chosen for him?

“Right.” He says, seeing that Virgil was still looking at him. That was enough that slowly him and Roman went back into whatever conversation they were having. Patton felt a gentle bustle of jealousy that he tried to wash away quickly, this wasn’t true. 

He looks up to see Logan studying him with a thoughtful gaze, Patton quietly raises an eyebrow at the sight.

Logan doesn’t answer, his eyes shining as his fingers start to press around Patton's face, they trace his jaw and his cheeks and rub behind his ears where his glasses sit. Patton nearly melts at the comfort it brings, closing his eyes as Logan traces every part of his face. There's a shift as Logan moves and suddenly, Logan is brushing gentle kisses onto his skin. Patton is immediately scarlet as Logans gentle lips just brush the baby hairs on his face. He is quiet and calculated, each move already planned in his mind, and it makes Patton jelly in his arms. Patton struggles to form any response, anything other than a soft sigh and deep red face. Logans kisses trace his jaw, and he’s suddenly gone.

Patton opens his eyes, suddenly empty of the closeness Logan had provided. He sees Logan is merely sitting up more now, and he gives Patton a cautious smile, “Slow right?” 

Patton still lacks the control to speak, so he simply gives a short nod, the color slowly fading from his cheeks. He just has started to feel normal and calmed when Logans lips brush his ear again, “You look so amazing when you blush… Makes your freckles stand out…” Logans breath causes chills to run down his arms and he hears Logan chuckle as he pulls back again, smiling gently as Patton's face is once again a deep red in shade.

Both suddenly glance over at the two in the kitchen, who have moved from their line of sight to be talking in the kitchen. Patton hears the fridge close and the two quickly appear again. 

“So… I think we would all enjoy some time with our new choices… So me and Virgil here are going to go explore!” His eyes give a little twinkle, just like Patton had learned they had whenever he felt as if he were embarking on a journey, and he found he would miss seeing it, he would miss the little silly things Roman would do. But he could still see them as friends, and he truly cared for Logan after all.

“That sounds good… Salutations you two…” Logan says gently and Patton finds him watching the other two grab the few items they had brought and heading towards the door. Roman suddenly grabs Patton's hand and tugs him outside of the apartment, closing the door so the two are on the stairwell by themselves.

“My dear Patton… Are you alright with this change?” Roman asks, his voice concerned as he looked the other over. Patton gives a little laugh, a little shocked to feel tears burn at his eyes, and Roman notices them as well. 

“This is normal my dear… Virgil said it would be some time before the effects wear off, the idea of leaving you is painful as well… But I am drawn to Virgil in some powerful way.” Patton realizes that Romans own eyes have a reflection of tears as well. But he knew that he was more true to Logan, than the feelings to Roman. 

“May we always find joy in each others company… And may we continue to be friends…” Roman offers a hand to shake, but Patton merely pulls him into a deep hug. Roman returns it, and for a moment, time is still as they say goodbye, though it seems less painful now that he isn’t alone. Roman gives Patton a brief kiss on the cheek before opening the door to Logans apartment, Patton exchanges quiet goodbyes with Virgil, and soon, the two are headed downstairs. Patton smiles softly as they walk away, curling his hand around Logans, it seems that things were turning out quite nicely. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan POV  
> More Analogical fluff, slightly graffic but nothing smutty

Logan watched as his front door swung shut, leaving him with his gorgeous Patton. As he had more processed the news now, he felt simply joyous. He truly could love Patton, and that Patton returned the feelings was more than he felt prepared to understand. He no longer felt as wrong or broken, a bit controlled, but Patton, there beside him, ate up every other thought.

Patton curls his hand into Logans and Logan responds with a gentle squeeze. He looked down to the slightly shorter man and drank in everything about him. He noted how Patton still smelled like the cooking spray in the kitchen and that his hair was still tousled from sleep. 

Logan grins, bending down just slightly to press his lips fully against Patton's. His hands cup the others face as he cradles Patton in a kiss, which Patton timidly returns. It takes a moment for him to talk himself away. Patton had wanted to take it slow, and consent was important, especially as he learned the timers seemed to rob them of such a thing.

He looks into Patton's eyes as the other takes a deep breath, Logan quickly interupts him.

“Was that too far?”

Patton shakes his head, before pausing for a moment, “I… I don’t know actually… I think its alright for now… But I don’t want to take it much further yet…” 

Logan nods, “Thats a wise decision, and I believe that's supposed to be my job,”

Logans soul soars at the smile Patton gives back, his cheeks once again turning just slightly pink. Logan wants Patton to know, how much it meant to him, he had read several science based books on loved and knew that others often had different ways of showing love, it seemed that physical affection, and positive words were effective with Patton, but were they how Patton preferred it.

Logan shook the thought from his mind, he would have lots of time to figure that out, he would spend all his life looking at this boy across from him and figuring out how to make him happy.

The two shared a smile when Patton bravely moved forward, kissing Logan with the fire Logan had earlier kissed him. He has to rise onto his toes to reach Logan and the surprise has him stepping back just slightly. Another move back and he feels the recliner push into his calf. He smiles, sitting down and keeps kissing Patton as he pulls him along. 

Patton crawls onto his lap quietly, and Logan moans softly. Logan slowly takes over, kissing around Patton's face and making his way down the others neck. He nibbles softly along the skin on Patton's neck and watches as it sends chills down the others arms. He feels the involuntary little twitch Patton does, sees the hairs on his arm rise. He smiles, taking a deep breath and returning to kissing Patton, finding himself becoming lost completely in the other, he simply wanted to have Patton beside him at all times, to never have to leave his presence. Emotions burst through him and he gives another moan, and this time, it startles him. He moves away, taking a deep breath as he looks at the still blushing Patton.

“I thinks its wise we stop this current activity… Before it leads to further complications…” Logan takes a deep breath, urging his body to calm down, and Patton returns with a gentle nod, seeming to be working on a similar battle in his own mind. He moves off of Logans lap, and the two move to the couch, Logan takes Patton's hand and they rest, both slowly catching their breath.

Logan wanted to take it slow as well, he did not wish to pressure Patton, nor himself further into a relationship so new, and so unusual. He knew that Patton still had feelings for Roman, and had presumed it would take time for the drug that caused them to make their way out of his system, so any further of a physical relationship would most likely just cause Patton some emotional turmoil. 

It even threatened to do such a thing to Logan, and he had not been matched at all. So, he had stopped it there, and closed his eyes, focusing purely on the moment with Patton, the moment with the boy he had kissed last night in a drunken haze, admitting he had feelings so he thought he could move on. That hadn’t been the case, for now the boy was here, beside him, and better yet, his boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a sucker for cute soul mate au's and I'm also a sucker for fluff and so here is some but be warned, there will be more angst, eventually in this story. Imma scheming!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman POV

As Roman looked at his watch, it was hard to believe that it was only 10 A.M. So much had happened in the early hours of the morning that left his whole world completely changed. He looks to his left, where Virgil walks beside him, taking in the whole world around him.

Eventually, their aimless wandering guides them to a used book store, it looks fairly empty, so Virgil steers them inside. Roman watches, still burning with questions as he looks around the musty store. Virgil tugs him to a back corner, where they soon disappear behind a stack of old newspapers.

A single light flickers on their little aisle as the two sit, cramped knee to knee. It feels childish, but the very idea of that makes Roman grin. It was absolutely perfect. 

“Why here?” Roman asked, looking at the stack of papers again, the date was from nearly 40 years ago.

“I thought this would be a good spot to talk some more… You started to look like you wanted to…” The boy responds with a shrug. It was true for the most part, but Virgil had also been fascinated when he’d seen the storefront up ahead, and was eager to explore it.

“I mean… Yeah, but I don’t even know where to ask… Everything I knew… Has just crumpled…” Roman replies, staring at his feet sadly.

“I, I forget that… I grew up knowing about this… And it's so horribly wrong but there currently isn’t a way to fight it…”

“And they really can’t be removed?”

“Like I told Patton, that isn’t an option. The few who know would be the only ones who knew and the questions that would be asked…”

“What about a black market route then?”

“Roman, its not an option. If it gets removed and anyone sees, you’re done for.”

“You don’t have one.”

Virgil's face flushes at this statement and he looks away, “And it meant that I was to be hid away in my home for 22 years.”

“Hid away? 22? What?” Roman reaches and takes Virgil's hand, his eyebrow quirked in question at the other.

“This has been the first time I have ever been out of my house… I snuck out to do so…” 

Roman finds himself lost for words, briefly trying to imagine if he had been stuck in his own home for 22 years, it would be so lonely. So boring…

“And all for something I never asked… Sometimes I wish I just had the stupid thing so I could be normal like everybody else!” He grumbles suddenly and Roman peaks over the newspaper, hoping no one had heard them. 

“Dear don’t say that… This is how I got to know you… And it ended up finding Logan love, Patton true love and I, a true match.” Roman blows a kiss at Virgil, who still seemed to be frustrated at his own outburst.

“I was stuck inside for 22 years.”

“And it will not be for vain… We can find something to do, we can start something…” 

Romans words start a small fire in Virgil's eyes, as they spark at the idea. 

“Would you really? Be willing to start something?”

Roman pauses for a moment, thinking carefully before he nods, “Yes, this is something we did not get a choice and I think we should start a fight…”

Virgil gives a soft laugh, suddenly alight with possibility that Roman had allowed him to dream up suddenly. The passion that burned from him was intoxicating, and Roman could only stare in amazement as Virgil went over things in his mind, occasionally murmuring or looking around.

“Ok, well then how do we start?” Virgil asks, chewing his lip as he ponders the options that would not get them immediately caught.

“Well, paper would be the best, easiest to keep hidden… We could print some things up and spread them?” Roman offered, as he looked at the newspaper before him, his eyes gaze across the rest of the shop when he grins. 

“Thats it, books. We can slip papers in books, all over. That way we can hide, they can’t track it, and they’ll spread.”

Virgil looked up at him and beamed, “That sounds perfect. But what do we say?”

Roman slumped, looking over at Virgil's hidden forearm, then down at his own timer. What would they address? How could they prove that this wasn’t natural as they had been taught? 

“I think we gauge interest first… Start the rumours before we start looking into it more. That would encourage people to start looking themselves, and we may find allies…” Roman addresses, as Virgil taps his feet anxiously, looking ready to leap and scream the news as soon as Roman said the word.

“So, a paper, half page maybe? What would it say?” Roman pressed, eager to have Virgil focused instead of bursting to give them away. Virgil furrows his brow as they both start to suggest topics, ideas and what a paper would say.

“How about this: ‘Man was built without glass.  Our matches are the result of a forced society, and we will not remain silent. Drugs, infant surgery, and paid off officials. Push for the truth, and seek that knowledge.’?” Virgil suggests and Roman grins at him. 

“That sounds perfect. Just enough to start something. Lets go type it up, and get to setting this in motion.”

 

/\/\/\/\/\\\/\/\//\\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\\/\

 

Roman beamed at the book as he nestled the quarter paper inside. His pockets were jam packed with the cut pages, shouting for freedom. He scanned the area again that no one could see him as he continued to tuck them in between books, as bookmarks, and in every section of the library. This was his third stop, and hopefully  Virgil was making just as good of time. 

Every noise the quiet room made caused him to flinch, and he swore every whisper was about him or the discovered papers. He tried to move quickly, picking common areas and often moved books. He tucked them between newspapers, and even tucked some in windshields before he hurried away. 

He had tried to avoid being seen by cameras, and hoped he had been careful enough to not draw suspicion. 

He sneaks them in a few places along his way as he hurries to meet Virgil back at the bookshop as they had agreed. He pushes in the door and barely hears the owner welcome him. He pushes into the corner and sinks down, his fingertips buzzing with the excitement at the freedom he was starting today, with his boyfriend, and it was going to rock the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite having the actual worst day, I really like how this chapter came out, longer than I expected too, this story is starting to go somewhere I never planned and I have a few ideas but this is what came out tonight...  
> Today has been utterly exhausting though, and its seriously affected me, so if this chapter isn't my best, thats my poor excuse...


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil POV

It was after dinner and Virgil was regretting his cheeseburger, his stomach churned anxiously as he feared every movement was coming to arrest him, coming to destroy who he was and to arrest Roman.  
Roman didn’t seem bothered, he spent most of their dinner talking about different places they could deliver to next, what their alias would be, and other rebellious things. Despite the excitement Virgil had felt when they started the project, he was starting to doubt himself. Surely, they would be caught soon, this wasn’t the first rebellion and others had been completely squashed and he was next.  
“What do you think will happen to me if we get caught?” Virgil whispers, looking at Roman.  
Roman chucked, “If my love, if. And we hid our faces, we should be fine.”   
“Still, what IF.” Virgil repeated, anxiously tapping his foot and looking around.  
Roman shrugs, taking Virgil's hand. “Hey… Hey we will be fine…”   
Virgil continues to stare at the ground, and another pair of shoes stop at their table, Virgil looks up to see a very displeased Logan, Patton trailing not far behind him.  
“I presume this is you two?” He nearly growls, slamming one of their flyers onto the table. Virgil flinches, staying quiet and Roman grins, “Isn’t it marvelous? Logan this is the start of the future…”  
“This is suicide.”   
“Logan…” Patton says quietly and he frowns at the other.  
“It is.” His voice is cold as he continues, “If this has been a secret for any length of time anyone risking putting this information out there is risking getting killed.”   
Virgil's stomach cramps more as Logan continues to confirm what he had started to dread.  
“But no one else knows its them.” Patton murmurs softly, grabbing Logans arm gently.  
“Unless you keep shouting at us like this…” Roman notes, tossing a tip on the table.   
“Lets go back to my place, then you can lecture or help us there.” Roman adds, grabbing his soda for one last sip.  
Logan only nods curtly, he didn’t seem pleased to be back dealing with Virgil it seemed, as he still seemed to fume as they walked. His face slowly softened as Patton took up chattering about the nice lunch he had made them. Virgil watched the strangers they passed, checking to see who was in a couple, who looked up to see them, anything like that.   
The commute to Romans apartment doesn’t take long and they trudge up the flight of stairs, quiet for a moment as they focus on not tripping on the steep steps. Roman hops them with familiar ease and beats them all up to his level. Once the other three catch up, he walks to his door and unlocks it, ushering them inside with an over exaggerated bow.   
Virgil looks around, giving a soft smile. Just as Logans home had been a simple reflection of who he was, neat, orderly, and precise. Romans similarly reflected Romans personality. One wall was covered with posters of movies, musicals, and even performances it seems Roman had done. The kitchen sink was filled with dishes and the house wasn’t tidy, but it was lived in. It was comforting, even the gold and red decor tones matched his boyfriends energy and passion.   
Virgil chuckled to himself as the last phrase comes to mind, this apartment couldn’t fit Roman better. Would Patton's reflect his personality in such a way? Did Virgil's own room at home show into his soul this much?  
“Sorry its a bit dirty, I wasn’t expecting guests…” Roman says goodnaturedly, but he hardly looks as if thats how he truly feels. Patton shuts the door and drops his shoes off beside it, prompting Virgil to return and do the same. He wasn’t sure what rules were custom and he’d hate to have Roman cleaning up after him.  
“Back to the matter at hand.” Logan says, before Roman can open his mouth again, “We need to discuss this thing you have started?”  
“Where did you even find that one?” Roman interrupted, grinning suddenly.   
“I… I had to return to my university library and it was tucked in one of the books I opened to look at…” He replies simply. Virgil feels a twist of pride, that location had been his idea, and he had not known that was where Logan attended school. If Logan had found one so quickly, surely more had been discovered.   
Patton flips on the news, allowing himself to Romans TV without even asking. Roman is about to protest when Patton leaves the program running, “If it gets reported… We’ll want to know… Do you happen to have internet?”   
Roman shook his head, “Too expensive… And its mostly just for games, no one besides total nerds uses it.”  
Virgil only nodded, he had no clue what the internet was, it wasn’t something he had access to at home so it was out of his knowledge, and he felt too silly to ask at the moment.  
“Focus.” Logan says shortly, frowning at Roman. Virgil looked at the two and shifted as Logans gaze moved to him, “And you? Why did you agree to his foolish idea?”  
Logan awaits an answer, ignoring Romans grumbles that Logan shouldn’t just assume it was Romans idea,   
Virgil wants to do anything but face Logans stony face, wishing he could curl into himself and pretend this was not real. Logan does not stand down though, he merely clears his throat, waiting for Virgil to talk.  
“I… I may have sparked the idea in Roman actually…” Virgil finally speaks, and Logan raises a quiet eyebrow, listening, “I… I had never been out of my home until yesterday… For 22 years, my home was my life because I was different… From something that has been forced upon the rest of humanity… So Roman wanted to fight, make it so we had a choice…”  
“But what would you fight for? The knowledge? The removal of these devices? What is your end goal?” Logan starts, and Virgil shrugs.   
“We hadn’t gotten that far… We wanted to see if there was interest, if we started spreading the word what would happen…”  
“Guys-” Patton speaks quickly, interrupting before Logan can continue grilling the other two. He turns up the volume of the TV and they all turn to watch.  
On screen, flashes the flyer. The very one Virgil had printed and cut today, and hid in libraries across town.   
“A new scam has started to raise Public concern, with paper flyers appearing across town today in public libraries. Including our own college campus library. The flyers express that we are in a lied to society. When officials were pressed about the matter, they responded thusly,”  
The woman disappears and before them, a doctor and man in a suit sit side by side. The banner introduces them as a child delivery specialist and the town mayor.   
“This flyer, is an outright lie. We believe it be caused by political unrest and an attempt to disrupt the future elections. We all know that we evolved this devices so that we may live in harmony, with less struggles than our ancestors.” The man flashed a charming smile, “Why, even I matched, to my wonderful wife. And we have our eldest child set to graduate middle school very soon.”  
The interview cuts to the doctor talking, “I have been a child delivery specialist for 8 years, and the idea that we are performing surgery on these tiny children is absurd.” He laughs, Virgil catches the flicker of panic in his eye at the words, “We watch every child emerge from the womb with a timer, and they all start to count down an hour later. This is simply how we designed.” He gives a resolute nod at the end of his words, as if congratulating himself.   
The boys in the front room immediately burst into conversation, Patton speaking clearest, “Did you see his face? That didn’t look like honesty.”  
“We got media attention!” Roman whoops.  
Logan taps his foot, chewing his lip as he mutters things to himself that Virgil can’t hear.  
Virgil looks back at the screen, cutting into the noise quickly, “Guys!”  
The orderly Woman is back on screen,   
“Any one with information on the pranksters please report to your local authorities, and the Mayor reminds us that the spreading of false information like this, if continued, will be cause for incarceration.   
Up next, how do our school lunches fair against our sister cities…”   
And then they all watch, as for just a few seconds, words cross over the screen.   
“The rebels speak truth. Push for answers. Push for truth.”

“How did you do that?” Logan demands, and Roman shakes his head, his mouth ajar.  
“We didn’t…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really had a rough week but I thoroughly enjoyed writing this chapter and it moved so quickly. Anyways, its my self appointed bedtime as a functioning adult of society so I simply throw this and disappear! Enjoy!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton POV

The silence following Romans admittance felt odd after the news report. The boys sit quietly, staring at each other as they all try to comprehend what happened. Someone else had taken the message to heart and it seemed they were in the start of a revolution.  
Patton watched as shots of various school lunches passed on the screen, he had muted it after the finished segment and felt wrong to try and turn it back on. He was still in shock at what Roman and Virgil had started, of course, it made sense, but it was so dangerous. They could all be in big trouble if they continued this behavior.   
“You mean someone else did that?” Virgil whispers, his face an odd mixture of emotions that Patton can’t identify. No one answers him, it was obvious none of them had done it. So who had been this stranger egging on their words?  
“You started it. Now no more before you get yourselves caught.” Logan says sharply.   
“Pfft, k Dad…” Roman rolls his eyes, obviously ignoring the worry in Logans voice, “Like I’m not gonna help continue what Virg and I started.”  
“Well don’t be stupid about it. Be creative, safe, and careful.” Patton chirps up, looking at the other three.  
“If they reported it means they feel seriously threatened… They’re gonna be watching now, so you just have to be extra careful about how you do this…” Logan adds, and slowly the group moves to sit in the middle of the floor, starting a serious discussion.  
“So then what do we do next?”   
“We?”  
“Yes we,”  
“I never agreed to join your rebellion.”  
“Then leave,” Roman stares down Logan quietly for a moment, but he doesn’t move. Virgil breaks into a smile, “I thought so…”  
“Obviously, any future communications need to be done under alias… We could all have a code name of some sort. One that makes sense to us but isn’t trackable.”  
“I wanna be creativity.” Roman grins, “That sounds like it would be a fascinating way to sign off the papers, -creativity. It has a nice ring to it.”  
“That is just based off a high key aspect of your personality.”  
Roman mimics him in a higher tone, “k Logic.” He grins, and Logan gives him a disgruntled look.  
“I… I am not displeased with this name… What about you two?” Logan looks at Patton and Virgil, and Virgil snorts.  
“If we feed off our basic traits than I’m anxiety.” Virgil laughs, and Roman gives a soft nod.  
“That may suit it very well, and Patton can be… Dad.”  
Patton raises an eyebrow, “I mean… fitting but that doesn’t sound right for this kind of thing…. But I guess I am kinda the morale burst here…”  
“Morality.” Logan smiles and Patton's face flashes one back.  
“I, I like that…”  
Virgil gives another chuckle as he goes over their names, “Morality, Anxiety, Logic and creativity… We make up a whole being now, the rebellion.”  
Logan gives a slanted grin, “Thomas.”  
The three face him with equally puzzled looks, and Logan continues.   
“We would need a common goal, a rallying point. And I threw around a few options in my head but I realized ‘To Hope Our Matches Are Silent’ forms the common name Thomas. It is a more lowkey way to keep our intentions hidden, and at the same time, embody what we wish to happen, to stop these timers from becoming forced upon us.”  
“Thomas.” Virgil tests, “Built on a foundation from Logic, Anxiety, Morality and Creativity.”  
Patton and Roman exchange a high five as Virgil nods his own agreement to the phrase.   
“But, now what?”  
“More paper publications…”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The group work in collaboration for several hours, discussing various points they could use. Eventually, they decide on a brief introduction that would establish their names, presence, and Thomas. Each one found a short way to put their experience onto each notebook they were scribbling notes on. Logan had promised to begin to study more in depth about any flaws he could find in the history, while Patton and Roman would both spread their papers anywhere they went throughout the day. They also agreed to rotate the papers some and skip a few locations to avoid being followed or tracked.

 

  * My timer broke, but I still loved another who had been matched. I won’t lose this person, I love them.



                                                                                                   -Logic

 

  * I am the one born without, hidden from society for a difference we had no choice in. Demand that choice again.



                                                                                                  -Anxiety

 

  * My match was wonderful, but a drunken encounter let me realize that my heart truly yearned for someone else in my life.



                                                                                                    -Morality

 

  * Imagine loving theatre to find yourself forced in a greater production. I choose my fate, I am not scripted.



                                                                                                -Creativity 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I started this I legit never even thought I would get to this kind of story line and I am highly excited to continue it. I have been having some adulthood growing pains but this book has been a nice distraction. It gives me somewhere to channel my energy into and I am a kinda competitive person so I have a quiet challenge to beat the previous word count of Cross Country Hell which was roughly 26,000 words. I think this chapter jumped me to 12,000 so I am going about that. It feels nice to write. As usual, stalk my Tumblr @Writersgirl3 and please leave a comment, lets chat!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan POV
> 
> The rebels discover an unexpected ally

The boys camped in Logans apartment again, it had officially been a week since thier first paper drop, and they had continued to litter the papers across town. Logan had seen wanted signs in his own library, as well as several more news reports on them trying to find the people who were distributing these lies. 

Logan smirked, he had been digging into the history and he had a good estimate of what time this had been started, and a few of the flaws in their story and he very well expected this to make its way out in another future round.

Today, the news anchor returns to the screen and they all drop into tense but excited silence. 

“A follow up on the Paper Scandal. Police have apprehended two of this group of rebels early yesterday morning and have begun questioning.”

They glanced among themselves and snickered, they were all right here, untouched. Poor kids were not who the police thought.

“We remind listeners to not believe, nor give heed to the paper warnings. Despite this, graffiti, vandalism, and other incarceration worthy behaviors have started to pop up around town.”

The screen flicks to just that, a group of masked people, rioting, chanting, “Logic. Anxiety. Morality. Creativity.” Over and over, using these nicknames as cause the unifying ground of their rally.

Tunnels spray painted with their alias’, even flags of broken timers being spread over town. Logan felt a jump in his stomach at these images, they weren’t alone. Others were not only believing them, but supporting them.

Suddenly, the news stops, flickering to a blank white screen. Logans brow creases as he watches, this surely was not part of the broadcast. And surely enough, the newscasters voice flickers across, though gritty and as if she is struggling to make her microphone work, “Sorry listeners… We are experiencing some technical difficulties...:” Her voice fades and a text comes across the screen, as if being typed live on the screen.

“I have awoken, and I will light the flames of rebellion. -Sleep”

 

Logans mouth drops and he looks to see the others as shocked as he. The broadcast quickly cuts to static and Logan shuts the TV off. Roman has started grinning as Virgil chews his own nails. Patton squeezes his hand.

“You were right… We have an ally…” Patton's voice looks hopeful, and a bit far off. Logan looks around the room, none of them possessed the ability to do this, and he didn’t know anyone who could. They truly did seem to have another ally in this war, and from the broadcast, it was not one of the people who had been caught. 

“We need to start our next campaign. Get Thomas out there and see if we can find who this, sleep is.” Roman says, and they nod in agreement. This was moving quicker than he had anticipated and he knew it was time to act, while the buzz was high. 

“Do we simply wish to spread the name? Or do we want to call to action?”

“Just the name. We can’t risk exposure or letting anyone get hurt yet.” Patton says firmly, he had discussed it with Logan last night, the last thing the tender soul wanted was for people to get hurt because of something they started.

Logan nods, tenderly squeezing his boyfriends hand and pulling him a little closer. Patton leaned close, taking a deep breath as they looked around each other.

“We need, a quiet symbol… One that isn’t going to get people arrested.”

“Thats still too fast Roman.” Logan returns a cool gaze to the other and Roman frowns back. 

“We… We can’t just keep dropping papers, the cops will be watching everywhere by now.” Virgil adds, shifting his gaze to different parts of the carpet, “We may have no choice but to reveal ourselves in some other way if we expect this to work. 

“Mail.” Patton sits up suddenly, “We can use the mail. If we deliver from the post office we don’t need addresses, and use cash its harder to track.” 

Logan grins, kissing Patton's forehead, “Brilliant. We can send out groups through out the week, different times and it can be more in depth.”

Roman rolled back towards the coffee table and dragged off the pen and paper, looking up to Logan. 

“You’re Mister Eloquent, I can write tales of love and whimsy, but you can present fact.”

Logan decided against pointing out the irony and shifted, looking thoughtfully.

 

_**To the Rebels,** _

_**We come again to bring our word. To find communication to a cause that has lit a fire in our town. We insist we spread the word, the country must know what lies we have been fed.** _

_**Search for history of the evolution. Every book Logic has scoured leaves us with more questions. These glass controls have existed only 200 years.** _

_**We must unite. We unite under Thomas. To Hope Our Matches Are Silent** _

_**We wish to find our matches ourselves, without the control forced upon us.** _

_**Please continue to safely add to our numbers, do not be afraid but do not fight out. We do not wish for harm to come. We are still at large, and we are still hidden.** _

_**We call to Sleep, to continue in their ways, to cut into media of every kind and spread the injustice. We call citizens to speak with one another, until every soul knows** _

_**that this is a new world where we will hold control.** _

_**-Logic, Morality, Anxiety and Creativity.** _

 

The end of the paper has different textbooks and websites Logan had found noted underneath, and Thomas written again. Logan looks over Romans handwriting with a soft smile, “This looks splendid. I will type it and begin the printing process tomorrow after class.” 

Roman and Virgil nod, and slowly, move to there feet, Virgil stretches away his tense muscles and Logan helps Patton to his feet, getting the door as the other two are soon ready to go, he waves them off with a soft smile, and arm curled protectively around Patton.

He smiles as the door shuts, and Patton raises an eyebrow, “Whats with the smile, Lo?” Logan answers only by kissing him, pulling the shorter figure into his arms and keeping a firm grip on his waist. 

He opens his eyes to peer into Patton's blue ones, before losing himself to trying to kiss every freckle off of Patton's littered face, grinning as it pulls red to Patton's skin. 

“I love you Patton…” He finally murmurs, still coating the other in kiss after kiss. 

“I love you too Lo…”


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman POV

Virgil had been quiet all through out their dinner in Romans apartment, simply eating his food, lackluster in conversation, no matter what topic Roman tried. He searched for anything, returning old jokes he had used to make Virgil laugh before, movie updates on films he knew Virgil enjoyed, and even what he thought of a particularly annoying coworker at his job. Nothing got a true reaction from Virgil, he of course would smile and laugh, but the reactions never reached his eyes, something haunted them as the two dined. It worried Roman, to the point that he found it hard to move away when it became time to hop in the shower, and he had rushed through it, hoping that Virgil would have returned to his sour but more genuine attitude, or even a pleasant one. 

Roman toweled himself off quickly and stepped into his clean clothes, tugging the tshirt on as he left the bathroom, starting into his bedroom.

Virgil was in his room, trudging across the floor, Roman tried to catch his hand, his attention, but the other just tugged away, consumed in some other world of thought.

Roman watched Virgil pace across his bedroom floor, chewing his lip. He hadn’t said anything in at least 10 minutes and that has only been the count since Roman returned from the shower. Any attempt Roman made to talk was ignored, or shushed. And Roman felt as if he were going insane sitting there.

“Virgil…” Roman stands finally, catching Virgil's hand and kissing it gently, “Talk to me… Please…”

“I should go home.” Virgil stops in his tracks, looking at Roman with cold eyes, a hopeless that burned Romans heart.

“We’ve already discussed that… You said your mother would never let you leave again…”

“But this?” He gestured to the extra rebellion papers they never delivered, “Roman we aren’t just suggesting a new rule or something… We’re trying to change a 200 year old country, and its illegal…!-” He looks ready to continue into some long winded story when Roman cuts him off.

“Hey, Hey Virg babe we’ve been over this…” Roman tugs Virgil close and wraps his arms around him, getting the stressed boy to rest his head on Romans shoulder. He curled his arms protectively around him, rocking him gently from side to side, focused on a positive energy as he spoke.

“This is the only way to have a free future… For us to be happy and not hidden, you deserve to be able to interact in this world without worry of what you do or don’t have…” He tugs Virgil wrist, and kisses where the glass timer would sit if he had one. Virgil takes a deep breath.

“You don’t think this was a bad idea?” 

“Well I mean, of course it is but its worth it…”

Virgil gives a empty chuckle and playfully shoves him, “Roman you flirt…”

“I am creativity…” He winks, pulling Virgil back and into a careful kiss, “And you are my anxiety…”

“The most ineffective pair…” He replies, smirking softly at his boyfriend.

“I’m offended you would find me ineffective…” Roman gives a grin, and he soon returns to seriousness, curling his arms around Virgil again.

“Virgil I love you… And this needs to happen, I am scared too… But I can do it with you… And you can do it with me… We just need to have courage…”

“And sleep.”

Roman laughs, as it timely causes him to break into a yawn, so he begins walking back towards his bed slowly with Virgil, “Whether you mean our unexpected ally or the rest, I do agree. But I think I need to give you something to smile about first…”

Virgil rolls his eyes, about to say something when Roman swoops in to a passionate kiss, and he feels Virgil's grip tighten for a moment as he seems shocked at the attention. Romans heart surged and he moved so the two were pressed together, and Virgil makes an odd noise in return. 

Concerned, Roman steps back, “Is this not alright? I understand if you don’t want to or-”

“This is perfect, I just think sleep is out the window for a bit,” Virgil replies, his eyes starting to warm up again as he steps in to kiss Roman now, refilling the space between them and seeming to push closer. They pause for a moment, looking into each others eyes in the sappy way Roman had yearned for in every romance he had ever seen, before pushing together again in another firm kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am on the writing train tonight but its cause I have a chapter I really want to get to and I told myself I had to stay in this order I set myself so here I am with some fluff and filler but I also am pumped writing and proud that I have gotten as far as I have. Please comment below and chat with me! I find myself bored more and more now and my life is getting into a schedule so come talk with me! As always stalk my Tumblr @Writersgirl3 for dog photos and more pointless content. Thanks all for the kudos and support I can't wait for the next sanders sides that is due to come out soon! Ah! I'm predicting it will have deceit or another new side in it, but who knows... Maybe another characters room... Ah I'm pumped someone talk to me...!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil POV

“My tongue hurts…” Roman complains and Logan barely graces him with a look, frowning as they seal envelope after envelope the next afternoon.

“I offered you a sponge, but you were the one who rejected it.” He returns cooly, swiping another envelope and placing it into the next pile.

“Ok well now I want one, my mouth tastes like glue.” Roman looks at Logan expectantly, waiting to be handed one from the pile Logan had offered earlier when they began.

“No.”

“Logan!” Patton chastises, looking a bit surprised at Logans offish behavior.

“I was being facetious,” Logan says, again seeming as if the whole exchange was unworthy of his entire attention as he swipes another letter sealed.

Patton's firm look when he does raise his eyes though has Logan handing a damp sponge over to the other boy. Roman swipes it with a quiet thank you that Logan doesn’t acknowledge, though it seems this time it is due to his focus being on getting a particularly stubborn paper into its paper pocket.

Virgil chuckles when he looks up from his own work to see his boyfriend, and Roman mocks Logan as he returns to his work. Mouthing something no one could hear as he sits with his back straight, his nose upturned.

“I can see you…” Logan retorts, once again not bothering to even look up. Roman drops back into a slouch and sticks his tongue out across the circle.

“I can still see you…” Logan states again and Roman makes an annoyed grunt. Virgil reaches out and squeezes his hand before returning to addressing the letters and placing postage on them. Next tossing them onto the ever growing stack beside them, it was quickly feeling overwhelming, and as if they would certainly be caught. Logan had explained the numbers so firmly, but seeing the number made it more real, and made it also seem infinitely more difficult. They planned to split it into four piles, and those piles into seven smaller piles. One for each of them, and for each day of the week. Where they would then drop them off at the two different post offices in town at various times, while trying to avoid each other as well. They would avoid people, lines, and questions. Virgil watched as another envelope was added to the pile and it started to feel like they would be caught on the first day, at their first attempt of a mail drop.

A timer chirps and Logan glances at it, “Change gloves and Rotate.”

They do so, each boy pulling on a new pair of plastic gloves and changing what they were doing. Logan twists the kitchen timer to another 10 minutes, as he had stated that was the best time before the gloves started to secrete their fingers oils, or something along those lines. The gloves were to avoid fingerprints, Logan had explained when he brought in the boxes, and switching kept the handwriting from becoming too trackable. Virgil was unsure if Logan had even slept the previous night with the amount of knowledge and detail he had for the time being. He even had various times he suggested each of them get out their mail by, to avoid looking suspicious or too similar. Patton seemed to have been up later than he would have naturally been, as he too kept breaking into a yawn every few minutes. Virgil looks between the two of them, and then returns to focus on his new station before he lets his thoughts wander on why the two both seemed tired, and to have been up late. Not that he’d done anything much different it seems. Virgil scoots to where Roman had been, catching his eye as he teasingly swipes the seal across his tongue. He dramatically retches and rolls onto his back, feigning a death that has Roman and Patton snickering, when Virgil sits up, he sees Logan pretending he had not been paying attention, but there is a small smirk playing across his face.

Virgil falls into the rhythm of swiping the envelopes, closing, and handing them to Roman, finding himself into a pattern as he continues to work patiently. He sees why Logan had been so fixated, as it takes Roman nudging him for him to realize that the timer has gone off again, and they were beginning another rotation. So he moves again, and glances at the pile, which has grown, adding to the knot in his stomach. 

He looked at his wrist, where earlier he had written Romans name where his timer would have sat. It was his reminder on why he was doing this, and why it mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I'm kinda grumpy cause my self appointed bed time is in 10 minutes meaning I probably won't have time to finish nor post my next chapter and it was the one I wanted to get to! Aghdsk!   
> Alas, hopefully I'll return to this tomorrow and I can get this chapter into the world for your uh... reading... pleasure? Its gonna start getting a bit darker from here just a general warning... I don't know how quickly but... yeah  
> Stalk me on Tumblr @Writersgirl3


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton POV
> 
> Starting to get to a less fluffy part of the story, nothing too severe yet but...

Patton shifted the backpack on the counter of the post office, pulling out his bundle of envelopes for the day, and turning to the mail drop. His heart pounds as he pulls off the rubber band and sets them into the round, pushing up the handle. He hears them drop and he steps back, it has been done. 

His first mail drop of this part of the rebellion, yet his heart still pounds in his chest. He zips up his bag and starts for the door, his heart jumping to his throat as he passes a police officer. He tries not to panic, giving a good natured nod to the uniformed man, who returns it. They pass each other without conflict and Patton opens the door, relieved as the sun hits his face and he takes a deep breath.

He walks slowly to his car, and pauses when he sees someone leaned against it, a baseball hat pulled low over their eyes. 

His palms feel sweaty as he approaches, giving a smile, “I think you got the wrong car bud…” Patton waves his key chain, and for a further point, hits the button, the car pings and the lights flash, the stranger on the car does nothing though. 

“Um… Excuse me? I’d like to get in my vehicle please… You’re in the way…” Patton has stopped moving forward at this point, standing near the hood of his vehicle as this stranger still stands in front of his door.

Patton steps forward, his hands trembling and the stranger looks up at him, his face cool and stony. He turns silently and walks around Patton's car, Patton races forward and his fingers tremble as he pushes the button to unlock, racing desperately to open his handle and lock the car before the stranger does anything else. 

Luck is against him as he hits the wrong button, sinking into his car as the stranger tugs open the passenger door. Patton's chest tightens as he fights to figure out what he should do. 

“I have a gun, a tazer, and pepper spray, and I will use any and all of them. Get your seatbelt on, start the car, and exit this parking lot. Turn left so you’re headed South.” The stranger speaks, firm and decisive. Patton feels lightheaded as his shaky hand puts the key in and turns the ignition.

The car engine grinds for a moment before it starts and Patton feels his hand tremble as he shifts into reverse. He pulls out of the parking spot and starts driving as he had been directed. His stomach refuses to unknot, he didn’t know what this person wanted, who they were, or why they were targeting him.

The man gives occasional directions, telling him to turn left or right at certain spots. Finally, he tells Patton to pull into a mostly empty parking lot. If Patton hadn’t already been sick with panic, he certainly was now. 

The stranger reaches over and parks Patton's car, before reaching and removing the keys from the ignition. Patton wants to grab his arm, stop him and scream and hit, but he only watches as his keys are removed and the stranger exits the car.

He looks over at Patton, before motioning that Patton follow him as he moves to a van parked a few spots away. Patton wants to vomit, he knows this will only end in death and he isn’t ready.

As if his limbs are out of his control, Patton exits the car, closing the door and flinching softly as he hears the chirp of the stranger locking it. He was alone, faced with this strange man, a van, and an otherwise empty parking lot. Patton drug his feet forward, urging them to cooperate as the autopilot that had removed him from the car shuts down. His panic truly setting in.

His fingers brush the glass on his wrist, and looking down, he is reminded of Logan. His nerdy, dedicated boyfriend Logan, who would expect him for Dinner. Patton had promised to eat dinner with Logan. Logan.

Patton whispers the name, cementing the horrible idea thats forming. He takes a deep breath, drawing his focus, before sprinting the opposite direction. His heart pounding as he forces every step to be as big as possible. He had to meet Logan, Logan, Logan. His smiling love was his only focus as he pushes himself further from the other person.

“Ahhhh!” Patton watches the ground swing up to meet him. His vision flashing white for a moment as his muscles sear and burn. His hands unable to stop him as he slides into the asphalt, gritting his teeth as his muscles twitch. He still feels the electricity leftover in his skin, leaving a sour taste in his mouth as he tries to get his shocked body to cooperate. The gravel stings and he presumed he had added some good scrapes to his body from the fall. 

He still hears his blood pounding in his ears from his sprint, and gasps as a boot presses his cheek further onto the pebbled ground. 

“Thought you were gonna run huh? Cute.” The strangers cruel voice echoes, bouncing around as he tries to blink focus back into his vocabulary. 

The stranger grabs his leg, carelessly dragging Patton back the few paces he had run, Patton helpless as the rocks grab at his shirt, exposing his side to the biting rock as he is pulled along, stinging new marks onto his scuffed body. He is helpless to fight, to squirm, still searching for the focus to speak or breath without intense focus. 

He hears noise around him, but blobs of light and dark are all that cross his vision. A second pair of arm extenders grab at his own arm extenders and he is hoisted into a very hard bed. The worst mattress Patton had ever felt, cold and unforgiving. Patton wants to roll over and tell the blob that he does not like the mattress, but the bedroom is dark. His bed starts to rumble and he feels the exhaustion he suddenly felt course over him in a wave. He needed to sleep, no matter how awful his room felt. Patton's eyes were pulled shut, his stinging cuts the last of his notice before he drifted into the haze of quiet.

 

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

As Patton's mind starts to wake up, he notices first off that this mattress is noticeably softer than the previous one. It was nothing grand, but at least had a small give to it. His body still stung and it confused him why, he.. He… 

As Patton's eyes try to open, white blinds him, causing him to cringe. He raises his arm to his face, using it to shield any source of the light while he dragged his eyes open again. The flash still feels painful, but is lessened enough that Patton can convince his eyes to start adjusting to the environment. 

Though sight gives him no better understanding as to where he was. The room was square, and white. And he could only make out the pitiful cot he was currently laying on. Patton grimaces and pushes up on his other arm, still trying to adjust to the harsh lights. His muscles cry against it and he takes a steadying breath to try and lesson the tightness. 

Memories start to slowly trickle back in, the stranger, the white light. God he had been kidnapped, he was kidnapped! 

Panic momentarily overrides his body in his attempt to run and his legs tangle underneath him, causing him to merely crumple into a heap on the floor instead of running in panic, or staying on the cot.

The little panic pulled what little energy it felt Patton had so he rested his head upon the ground, focusing on deep breaths with his eyes hovered just closed. It took too much to hold his arm up any longer. 

A swoosh echoes through his mind and a currently disembodied voice starts to speak to him.

“The cooperative taser has incapacitated the citizen for 12 hours, with the time being 11:24 P.M. Citizen will be questioned, before further testing is conducted. Status, acceptable.”

Patton wants to question, when his eye is suddenly pried open. Light floods in, and he only gets the shadow of a shape as he cries out tiredly, unable to fight or resist the intrusion. It lasts only a moment, before he feels his blood pressure being taken, and his heart beat.

As time passes, he feels his energy start to return, no longer forced to focus on breathing, Patton starts to blink, finally adjusting to the white room. He finally looks to see someone, in a crisp white jacket, helping him back into his bed. When had he stood?

Speaking more than necessary was not something he felt like pushing at the moment, so he simply allowed himself to be rested on the cot, sitting upright. 

“Patton Morgan? Citizen ID of 84576?” The voice isn’t familiar, but its masculine as far as Patton can tell.

Slowly, Patton nods, still trying to figure out where he was, how he had gotten here, and all the other questions that were starting to buzz around in his mind. 

“Patton Morgan, inciter of the rebellion, better known as your alias among the community, Morality?”

Everything clicks with a horrifying clarity when his codename leaves his mouth, he had been discovered, and if he had, had the others? Were they safe? How had they been caught, what was happening?

Patton looks to the stranger, before realizing the other was expecting an answer. He wasn’t sure he remembered the question, which question had been his own, and which the sharp strangers. 

“You will answer verbally, and timely.” The voice is accompanied with a swift punch to Patton's stomach, knocking the breath from him as he gasps. He gulps for air, mind spinning as he realized the trouble this meant. 

Finally, his mind and body cooperate enough for him to shake his head, “N-no… No I am n-not Morality…”

This answer displeases the stranger, he can tell immediately, and the man grabs Patton by the jaw.

“We have the others. They’ve already talked, so you better spill.”

The others, his friends. Roman and Virgil, Logan. They had Logan, had they hurt him? What had they done? What would they do? Had the others lied? Should he lie? Again, panic clouds over his mind and he can only look on in horror, “No… No please!”

“Talk.”

“I…. Please don’t hurt them!” Tears are starting to burn his eyes, as despair scratches his heart. Had it been his fault? Had he condemned Logan to this fate? Had he been the reason his level headed lover was to be tormented?

“Then talk.” The man's agitation grows, as Patton continues to blubber in tears. What of Virgil? He couldn’t be discovered? What would they do to him if he was found out! He was different, and he was a threat! Or Roman, his ex match who met Virgil's sarcasm with such beautiful force. Would he have protected them? 

“It was all me! I merely lied to other names so I would seem numbered! Leave my friends alone!” Patton doesn’t quite register the words he’s crying out, only focused on the pain he was causing his friends. The torment they were likely enduring. No injury of his own would sting nearly as bad as being the cause of their suffering. 

“What friends? Tell us their names.”

Patton shakes his head, his quiet voice of reason telling him it was time to be silent, to not speak their names. To tell who they were would reveal possibly their last defence of protection. 

“Tell me their names!” The man shouts, giving Patton a sharp shake as he grows increasingly frustrated at the rebels tears. 

“They are all me! I am the rebellion!” Patton wails, and the man grins, only serving to confuse Patton more. 

“A confession, better than hoped. Schedule detainment and questioning in three hours.”

 

A confession? Patton gulped, horror slowly coating him as he realized, he had admitted to what they wanted. He admitted to the rebellion, and he was going to suffer now because of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost 50 kudos, you guys are amazing! I can't believe people are enjoying my work and it makes my day. I sketched out an outline earlier so I have a slightly clearer idea of what I want to do going forward. So here it is, as usual, unproof read, unedited, and in all its one sitting glory.   
> Stalk me on Tumblr, @Writersgirl3


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan POV

Logan glanced at his watch again, carefully noting the time. He wouldn’t be surprised if Patton had found himself distracted, but it was going on 30 minutes from the time Patton had agreed to visit, which was getting worrying. Logan tapped his foot, he was merely being impatient, Patton would be arriving any moment.

Another minute ticked by at a snail's pace and Logan stood abruptly, crossing the floor and pulling up his landline, quickly dialing Patton's own home number. The line rang, and rang, and rang.

“I must’ve missed ya!” Patton's cheery voice answered, and Logan grumbled as this recorded Patton told him to leave a message so ‘pops’ could call whoever back as soon as possible. The line beeped, and Logan found himself suddenly unsure of what to say.

“Uh… Pat… Hey Pat, its, its Logan… I just… am wondering if you forgot dinner… It's gonna get cold… I uh… yeah. Love you.” He puts the phone back on the receiver and takes a deep breath, what a horrid message he had left. But at least he knew Patton wasn’t home, Patton was determined to answer phone calls when they came through. And checking messages was one of the first things he did whenever he got home, and he should have been home by now. 

Logan pointlessly checked his watch again, dread curling its way inside him as he thought about his own letters he had dropped off today. He had been nervous, and it felt as if any one would discover him. Had Patton also found himself being watched? Worse yet, followed or discovered.

Logan didn’t want to think about that, but each moment that dropped by made him grow more and more stressed. He soon took to chewing his fingernails, anxiously flipping on the television.

“Police report that they have captured some prime suspects on the root of the rebellion, and while this story is still in its early phase, the sergeant I spoke with assured us that the case was well underway on condemning the villains and preventing their lies from spreading any further.”

Logan felt ill, surely he was being melodramatic, Patton was simply late and he had nothing to worry about. He jumped as his phone rang, and he threw it to his ear without glancing to see who had contacted him, “Patton?!”

“Shit…” The voice on the other end mutters, and Logan frowns to himself. 

“Roman?”

“Yeah… We just saw the news, we as in Virgil and I and we got worried and wanted to call to see but if Patton's not with you… Do you know where he is?”

Logan feels his throat tighten, emotions surging through him at a worrying speed as he goes through all the options that this meant, surely Roman wasn’t saying that Patton had been discovered.

“Logan?” Romans voice cuts through his thoughts and Logan realizes how tightly he's clutching the phone.

“He hasn’t arrived for dinner yet…”  _ But I expect him to arrive shortly, he’s just a bit late. _ Why couldn’t Logan force the rest of that sentence out, why did he stop. He chastised himself, trying to force the rest of the sentence out, but he couldn’t lie. He didn’t know where Patton was, he was clueless.

“He did not answer when I called his home…” Finally, Logan adds to the words he let drop off and he feels the weight starting to sink in with reality. 

“When Virgil was dropping off his round, he said the place had officers all over…”

Logan hangs up, unwilling to go on with anything else Roman had to say. The worry that was sinking over him was becoming painful, without eating a bite, Logan starts to clean up the meal. His hands tremble and he nearly drops the still warm casserole. He clears his own dishes, but leaves Patton's place still set. So Patton could eat as soon as he got here, which would be any moment. 

He clenches his hands and takes a deep breath, urging himself desperately to believe that Patton was safe. But the despair and reality hit home every moment that ticked away. Logan did the dishes, he swept the floor and organized his books. It had been two hours since Patton was supposed to arrive. 

But only at hour three does Logan finally accept that this is the truth. That Patton was at serious potential of being in danger and he felt as if it were all his fault. How could he have let this happen? His kind boyfriend, whom he had left alone and now he was gone. 

The tears that stung his eyes all evening finally break through, and Logan sinks onto his couch, still desperately begging the world that Patton would knock at any moment. That his beautiful lover was not being held in who knows what, and who knows where. 

The phone rings, and Logan aches as he looks to see that Roman is calling once again, he isn’t sure why he answers it. 

“He there?”

Logans silence is answer enough, and Roman launches into something much more than what Logan felt like comprehending. 

“We have to presume that he is in danger, and either captured or seriously hurt. And if he’s captured, we have to recognise that he could reveal any one of us. We have to lay low for a bit, we can’t risk any more-”

“He is my boyfriend! Don’t you talk about him as if he is merely an expected casualty!” Logan snarls suddenly, anger pushing up and causing Roman to stop talking. How dare Roman just ignore the fact that Patton was likely suffering. Because of them! How dare he pretend that this isn’t a real danger!

“I know its a real danger that's why we’ve got to plan!” Roman snaps back, and Logan is startled to find he had spoken out loud, before returning to glowering at the wall.

“We’re getting Patton,” Logan says firmly, and Roman doesn’t reply for a moment, before sighing. 

“We don’t even know where he-”

Logan slams the phone down again, anger still bubbling and he turns to the dishes still on his kitchen table, and the anger melts back into tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its October!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman POV

Roman stared at Virgil in the library, drinking in every spot of the hoodied boy. He watched how Virgil's hair seemed to glint almost purple in the sun, how he chewed his lip as he read and held the book as if it were a treasure. He sat in the sunlight of the window, his hood up as he curled in the bean bag chair. 

Roman wanted to watch him forever, and kiss him, and yet he didn’t want to disturb the peace that Virgil had fallen into. 

If Roman was honest with himself, he was grateful Virgil was safe. He hated knowing that Patton was likely in danger but the worry that even comes from the idea of Virgil being in custody of the law is nauseating. It makes Roman feel guilty acknowledging it, so he tries to push it away, again focusing on the little things of Virgil.

He focused on how Virgil read everything as if a sponge, drinking in the wisdom or story each page offered. How he recalled things he had read so easily, yet doubted himself so quickly. How his left foot swirled if he was at a tense or exciting moment of a story. And how hard it was to drag him back to reality when he didn’t want to come. 

Roman was sure that Virgil would stay perched there all day if Roman didn’t make him leave, and Roman almost lacked the will to do so, suddenly cherishing every moment with Virgil, as Patton's sudden absence had made him keenly aware of how lucky he was. 

It was only the next morning, but Roman had urged Logan to meet them here, they needed to talk, an update on anything that had been learned. Plans on what would happen if this, repeated. This thought again causes Roman to looks at Virgil, whos left foot has started moving, a sign his story was becoming interesting. 

A gray blur bumps into him and Roman steps aside, murmuring an apology, before getting a good look at the gray person. 

Logan, wrapped in one of Patton's cardigans looked back at him, his eyes dark as though he hadn’t slept and his shoulders hunched in on him. 

“Logan did you sleep last night?”

The huddle makes a slight shake of his head, “Went looking… for Pat…” He murmurs. 

“What the hell, Logan?” Virgil's sudden appearance causes Roman to nearly jump out of his skin and Logan merely looks back at Virgil.

“Patton is missing…”

“Patton was kidnapped.” Virgil says, and Roman frowns, pulling them into a conference room before anyone else interrupted, or possibly heard them.

Logan melts into one of the office chairs and curls in on himself, offering no words to the other two, Virgil shoots Roman a look but Roman isn’t sure what he wants him to do about it, so he merely shrugs instead.

“We need to discuss what we do if another one of us… goes missing.” Logan shoots a glare at Roman for the wording and Roman does his best to ignore it. Virgil moves into his own chair and Roman looks at the two, before finding a seat. 

“We also need to discuss our next move…”

“Next move?! No! Our next move is bringing him home!” Logan starts and Roman waves him quiet.

“Yes, our next move, but it can’t be that. We need to keep going, we need to show them they’re wrong and we won’t stop…”

Even Virgil's lips are tugged in a frown at this, “We need to lay low like you said last night, but we also can’t just go scoop Patton up right now either.”

Logan glowered at Virgil and even Roman looked upset now. They needed to move forward.

 

“Lay low?” A calm voice comes from the door and instantly, Virgil feels the ice in his veins, “Why would we ever need to lay low?”

The turn as if on queue to face the newcomer, and Roman feels sick as he looks into the face of a soldier. A government soldier.

“I’ll ask again…” The stranger shifts, moving his gun methodically, “why would we need to lay low?”

Romans mouth is dry, as he searches for any excuse, panic seizing him as he watches the man. 

“For our game competition. D and D, we’re rivaling a team.” Logan speaks up, his calm manner reflecting the same cold as the officers. 

“Oh is that so? A game of, rebellion?” 

They knew, God they knew and they had them trapped they had to escape oh god. 

“A game of lies? Letters and trickery?”

Roman wanted to run, to flee, to pull Virgil back to the safety of his apartment and cuddle this all away with a movie. He wanted this to be a dream, a horrible nightmare.

“Boys… We have reason to bring you into our custody… Please comply and you can be out in just as quick as an hour,” The stranger finally breaks into a smile, and Roman takes the chance. 

“Run!” 

The three burst from their chairs and scatter, leaving the officer forced to choose who to follow, though that choice is made easier as there is only the one door in the room. Romans the last, and the man catches him by the arm. Roman turns, balling his fist immediately and ready to hit the man before he is whacked hard with the back of the man's gun. 

Stars and black cloud his vision as he sways on his feet, quickly crumpling down and gasping feebly. Hes unable to resist as the man drags Roman out of the conference. He hears the noise around him but can’t make out if the others escaped or face similar fates as he was currently, had the soldier been alone? Or had this spot long since been planned for the rebels to be caught.

He watches as the lined ceiling makes way to blue skies. It then quickly fades into a much closer fabric as he is forced into the back of a car. His hands are tied firm to the headrest in from of him and they shove a blindfold carelessly across his face. The door shuts, and only then does the panic start to set over Roman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been so obsessed with In Our DNA By Altruistic Skittles guys I'm gonna riot its so good I love it 10/10 RECOMMEND. 
> 
> Anyways yeah. Heres some more...


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil POV

Virgil's heart pounded in his chest as he rushed from the conference room, he didn’t look anywhere as he moved. He briefly heard Logan by his side but they quickly separated as they ran different ways.

Virgil throws himself through the emergency exit, ignoring the whine of the alarm starting to go off. He briefly glances back, before colliding full on with a stranger. He turns, panting to apologize and the person smirks softly, their grip strengthening on his arm. They pull him back, and Virgil pulls back, resisting the pull but is easily overpowered. 

Hes hauled into a mini van with three other people, two of which immediately pin him down to the bench as the car quickly starts moving. 

“What the f-!” Virgil starts, but a brute stomach punch leaves him gasping for breath. He groans softly, still trying to will his muscles to cooperate enough for him to function. One of the strangers grabs his arm, pulling up the sleeve of his hoodie. 

Virgil can’t yell for him to stop fast enough, and soon the plain skin of his wrist is visible. His throat tightens as he looks up at the strangers around him, who knew who they had now. 

“How do you lack a timer?” One growls to his left and Virgil glares at him.

“I ate it.”

“I’d watch that temper, and that mouth.” The one on his right snaps shortly, and Virgil actually hisses, his blood boiling as they continued to stare at him like an animal on display. 

Virgil has more to say, and is ready to spew his shouts in anger when they press a cloth to his mouth. Virgil holds his breath, sure that this was some kind of sedative, from the odd smell it gave off. He glares at the men holding him down before his body finally rebels, forcing him to try and drag in oxygen. 

It doesn’t take long before he’s blinking in exhaustion, trying to keep himself awake, his heart pounding in his ears before the sharp darkness takes over. 

 

/\/\//\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

A loud crash jerked Virgil from the darkness he was in, and he sits up quickly, looking around. His body reacting before his mind was awake, taking time to look at the scenery of white before he realized he was in danger.

As soon as the click settles, Virgil is on his feet, looking around angrily. He moves to the door, just across the room from him. The glass has the mesh wiring through it, and the square window was barely bigger than his head. Virgil cranes his neck to try and see what was on the other side, moving sideways to try and peer down the poorly lit hallway. Nothing of any use was visible to him, frustrating him to no end. He was stuck here a prisoner.

Roman.

Suddenly, the other crosses his mind and the color drained from his face, what had happened to Roman? Was he here? Did he escape? Thought after thought starts to race through his mind, drawing Virgil back to bed as he chewed his nails in a sudden panic. 

Wrapped in his thoughts, he hardly notices the door to his room opening until it shuts firmly. Finally, Virgil looks up to see a doctor standing before him, with a too bright smile forced on his face. Virgil wanted to smack it off him. 

“Name?”

“Get lost.”

The Doctors grin falters only briefly, and he looks over Virgil calmly, “Surely you know that such behavior will be a cause of suffering to you…”

“Where am I?”

The Doctor ignored him, and looked over his clipboard calmly, “Do you know why you’re here?” 

“Because you sadistic-”

“Last warning, Virgil.” The man snaps, the fake smile replaced with a stern look, and Virgil blinked. 

“Why did you ask me my name if you knew it?”

“Because, Anxiety, we wanted to test compliance…”

All snark Virgil held dripped away at that word. Anxiety. He knew, this man knew who Virgil was, what he had been doing. This man, was not to be trusted, spoken to, or interacted with. So, Virgil closes his mouth, and stares at his feet. 

The doctor, surprised, but did not object to the boys sudden silence and submission. It seems he realized that this was it for him, no one was above the law anyways. 

“So, Virgil, How old are you?” He posed the question, and the boy stared at his feet.

Virgil wouldn’t look at him, he wouldn’t acknowledge this monster and he wouldn’t give them anything useful. 

“Perhaps, How long have you been planning the rebellion? Were you the instigator?”

Virgil still sat quiet, still staring at his shoes as if they were the most important thing he could ever see in his life. 

“How did you escape a timer?”

Silence.

Virgil could hear the anger seeping into each question he ignored, but he still would not look up, he would simply pretend he could not hear the things being posed to him.

“How long have you been with this organization, your little band of fighters?” 

Suddenly, pain sprouted from his head as the man grabbed his hair, dragging Virgil's face to look him in the eye, Virgil avoided, staring down still. The man's breath blew across his face and Virgil felt a bit disgusted by its mixed aroma. Whatever this man had eaten recently did not smell appetizing. 

“Playing the quiet game, hmmm?” The doctor chuckles, and Virgil grimaces, finally giving a reaction in the vain hope the man would release his hair. It worked, and Virgil was allowed to slump back onto the mattress he’d been on.

“The first tried that too you know…” 

The first? Who the hell was the first person?

“He broke quickly though…” The doctor fiddles with a small remote he had removed from his pocket and suddenly, Patton's screams pour in from all sides. Heart wrenching wails of agony and Virgil stands, suddenly looking to see where Patton was, to stop the horrible sounds he was making. 

And just as quickly, they stop. Leaving the room worryingly silent. Virgil still looks around, his hands tight in fists as he finally turns to look at the doctor, looking him in the eyes for the first time. The malice there makes Virgil wish he could disappear, blend into the walls and vanish forever.

“Where is he?” He finally speaks, staring at the man with confidence he was sure was as easy to see through as it seemed to him. The Doctor straightens his clipboard papers and looks at Virgil, before shrugging. 

“Would you like to answer my questions now?”

Virgil falters, the yes stuck in his throat. He couldn’t just cave, it seemed even Patton had had strength, for however long it had been, he must do it to. He would face the horrors that were inflicted upon him, he would not just obey. 

“Rot in Hell.” Virgil snarls, and the doctor peers over him quietly. 

“Pity…” He turns on his heel and leaves silently, leaving Virgil staring at him, dumbfounded. Why had he left so suddenly?

The silence is his only reply, and it seems as unwilling to answer as he was.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton POV
> 
> So, this does get pretty graphic and tortured this scene so be warned...

The cool floor pressed on Patton's cheek, and he still felt mixed, his body shivered, but he still couldn’t tell if he was hot or cold. He wanted to move to the bed, but it took nearly all his energy to breath at the moment, so the thought was merely a fantasy. 

Exhaustion crept over him, and his eyes slowly sank shut, his body giving another tremble as he felt himself start to drift back to a quiet land. 

BZZZT

Patton let out a strangled cry, his body tensing as he was kept awake, unable to rest as he so desperately craved. He had long since lost track of how long he had been on the floor, stuck in the haze of exhaustion. They had forced him to run, to run and run until he felt as if his heart may simply give up. His legs were cement that refused to move and no amount of air seemed to fill his lungs. Even now, shifting made his muscles protest and his lungs ache. 

So he stayed there, half curled on the floor, unable to rest and thoroughly exhausted beyond reason. But he hadn’t spoken their names, his friends were safe as long as he didn’t reveal them. 

Those words were his only border from tears, and some state of insanity, the thought that he was protecting his friends. That they would be safe for now, though it also added an ache of longing to press through Patton's chest. One that hurt differently than his tired body. 

The door opens, and Patton hears it shut, but he doesn’t move to look, not that he could anyways.

A foot presses into his back and a whine slips past his lips, his body moving compliantly, but his muscles burning with protest. 

“Oh… Are you tired?” 

Patton gives a whimper in response.

“Hurt?” 

Another whimper is the reply. The shoes suddenly retreats, only to quickly return. Patton yelps, tears pushing from his eyes as he rolls onto his stomach, his back aching at the sudden hit.

The man is suddenly straddling him, chuckling. The man's weight makes Patton feel faint, he could barely breath before and now this man made everything worse. Patton tries to protest, gasping faintly as he urges the words to leave his mouth. Nothing does, except the scream as something pierces his back. 

He doesn’t know what, he only knows the pain it causes as the man digs the object through his skin, making him cry out as it moves. The burn doesn’t fade and Patton wants to simply fade from reality. 

“Wanna see?” The voice drifts to his brain and it makes no proper sense, he was past understanding what these torturers wanted from him. So he watches, as the man pulls Patton's tired arm to his eye level. Patton stares at his own arm with near detachment. Until he sees, the man on his back pushes a fishhook into his arm, and it quickly pierces through Patton's tender skin. Another cry of pain escapes him as he watches the hook return out another spot on his skin. And the man wiggled it, and pushed on it, but he didn’t remove it. 

Patton had gone fishing, he knew the device was barbed so it didn’t slip off. Though they would never look the same now, they would always be reminders of this hell. The man releases Patton's arm and returns, Patton whimpering as his fingers press on Patton's back for a tender spot. 

Over and over, the man pushes the hooks through his muscles and skin, not caring as blood drips to the floor, its overwhelming odor making Patton feel ill. Whenever Patton got too quiet, he would pull one, and had already ripped two out of Patton's back. His back burns and he has lost track of how many times the pain as ripped into his skin.

His throat burns dryly as he gives a hoarse cry again, and another of relief as the man stands.  The pressure eases just a little of the pain, and not nearly enough. 

Slowly, Patton's back unclenches, the hooks still stinging with every breath but less torturously. 

“Did you think I was done?” The cold voice cuts deep into Patton's heart, before he screams louder than before as his entire back burns. 

“Got to keep these from infection. Hand sanitizer kills 99.9 percent of germs.”

The burn doesn’t stop, and it sinks into more suffering as the man starts to rub it in, Patton just sobs onto the floor, his body trembling in pain and exhaustion. 

 

Even after the creul stranger has left, Patton's back burns. They have stopped doing anything to prevent him from rest, but the painful haze of his body keeps Patton awake and miserable, gasping for air. But he couldn’t break. He couldn’t...


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan POV

Logan sat at a metal table, the cool metal of the chair pressing against his back. He noticed the mirror to his left, almost guaranteed to be two way glass that allowed his captors to monitor him. He hadn’t had anyone enter yet, but that was simply a question of when, not if.

He looked down, looking at the shackles that encased one ankle, attaching him to the table. It was long enough he could stretch his legs, and shift a bit, but not nearly enough to wander the room, small as it was. 

A click sounds and he looks up to see a woman entering. She is orderly, her hair neat and crisp in its bun. Glasses perched carefully upon her nose so she could effectively look down at him. 

He matched her uncaring gaze with a similar expression, merely observing her. 

“Our information leads us to know you as the rebel Logic,” She doesn’t leave it as a question, Logan wouldn’t have graced her with an answer even if she had. He merely raises one eyebrow slightly.

“This means, you are the ones digging information and finding the flaws in our curriculum…”

“So you admit it is false?” Logan replies, and she returns the earlier ignorance. She reaches for her shoulder bag and removes a laptop, papers, and other supplies.

“You, will go through and show them to us… And you will help us find others…” She places the items in front of Logan, and he merely gazes back at her, his brow furrowed.

“You believe me to be part of the rebellion, and that I will simply aide in you preventing such a thing?”

She nods, fixing him with a hard look, “We have the one you have chosen as your match… We have the other rebels… You will cooperate, or they will face punishment.”

Logan doesn’t rise, he simply looks at her unperturbed. 

“I refuse.” 

“That is not an option,”

“It seems to me that it is, and it is the option I choose,”

The two pause in a quiet stand off, as Logan keeps his gaze firmly on hers. He can see the different options flashing through her mind as she balances what will get him to most effectively cooperate.

He has to pretend the thought of Patton in pain doesn’t feel as if he’s being ripped in two. He has to pretend to not care, to be above it. For all of them. He must.

Finally, she simply turns away. Leaving back out the door as quickly as she had seemed to appear. Leaving Logan again to his own silence. He looks over the objects that had been given to him.

Surely, that meant he may have a way to contact outside where ever he was, surely he could find a way, even when this technology was so new in the world, surely he could use this internet to contact safety.

So, he glances around, before pushing open the computer.

Slowly, it flickers to life, and he watches in curiosity as the screen wakes up. He looks over the keyboard, like the typewriter he had practiced on in school, and even the few computers he had contact with in college.

His eyes gently roamed the screen, taking in each colorful icon after the other until he found one that took him to what he hoped it would, the World Wide Web. A fascinating connection where distance did not matter, he could have chatted with people across the world with this. And it sat here. 

A small bubble appears in the bottom right of his screen, and curiously, he taps on it. 

The message appears a little bigger, a chat box system, and Logan was surprised to see the word Sleep flicker at him. Surely not the same Sleep that had been a secret rebel, one the others hadn’t met.

‘I’m going to help you all get out.’

The message sat there, and Logan simply stared at it. Reasoning that he could not trust this stranger, despite his gut telling him he could.

‘I can not trust you.’ He types back, watching his own message float up into the log box.

His own name, was Logic. As the woman earlier had called him, but also who the rebels knew him to be.

‘I get you don’t trust me. But I am here, I am a rebel.’

‘A rebel on a government computer?’ Logan replied quickly, becoming engrossed in this strange conversation.

‘Hacked. Watch.’ His screen suddenly flickers, and the log box is gone. Logan frowns as he clicks around, searching for the information of the stranger. The opposite corner, a video flickers, and Logan pales when he sees it. Four cameras, condensed into the small corner of his screen. 

He can make out Patton, on the floor. He is bloody and he can’t make out why his back looks so unusual. Logan feels ill looking at it, and he wants to run far from the table or even just shut off the camera from seeing his boyfriend this way.

In one corner, a small cot with a hoodie sitting on it, Virgil. Virgil stood every few seconds and paced the room, but looked fairly unharmed. Just alone, and scared. 

The third square he would presume to be Romans cell, but it sits empty. Worry twists as Logan looks at the space where Roman should be.

And finally, his own. He sees himself as though a camera were on the wall in front of him, unable to see the screen but his face was in shot. Logan looked up, and reminded himself that just because he could not see it, didn’t mean it wasn’t there. Obviously, it was, as he shifted his arm and the delay on his screen was only one of a moment or two. The screen flickers again and the chat log has returned. 

‘Do you believe me now?’

‘No.’

‘I don’t blame you really… But I am here to help… I even have some fake articles for you to give them, so they think you’re cooperating.’

Half a dozen links open suddenly, and Logan barely looks at them, though they seem safe, for now. He wants to desperately trust this stranger in his computer, but he can’t yet. He can’t allow himself to be deceived.

‘What are they planning?’ Logan types, if this person was truly an aide, he needed to get the information he could, and if it was a lie, hopefully, it would unravel itself.

‘Morality is being tortured. He believes you three to be safe, and while he has strength now, it may not last. He will be distraught to learned you have been captured, whether or not he gives in. 

Anxiety is being scheduled for a… surgery. Also a testing of some sort, I am still trying to find what that means.

From what I have found, Creativity is being punished for misbehavior.’

Logans fingers sit on the keys, as he tries to think of what he could respond, what he could say. He doesn’t feel any furthered along in helping his friends or discovering if this person is indeed someone to help, or a trick. 

He looks at the messages for a long time, before closing the computer, and resting his head on top of it. Despite the short passage of time, his brain seemed to be pounding in his head and he couldn’t make it stop. It was nearly maddening, the silence was just as destructive and he groaned. 

Safety, time, and truth, all these things were starting to feel far away, unreal, and his grip on them was long since gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! I'm hoping to be able to write and post some more today but no promises...


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman POV

Panting, Roman pulled himself to his feet again, his body protesting weakly against him. Gritting his teeth, he faces the man again. Sweat trickled down the man's face and Roman gives a small grin when he sees his nose is starting to bleed just a bit. 

The man hurries forward again, and Roman is too slow to dodge this time, getting slammed against the wall. He shouts, desperately searching for any hand hold to try and knock the other off of him.

The man has the upper hand now, getting Romans hands behind his back, he wrestles him onto the metal table. Roman snarls, desperately trying to get a good angle on the attacker. One hand is released, but he isn’t quick enough to fight back before his head is slammed onto the cold surface below him.

White blinds his vision, and he’s put off guard long enough for the man to strap him onto the metal. Roman thrashes as he tightens the strap across Romans forehead, growling.

“There. Maybe you’ll learn to behave after this.”

“Let my friends go!”

The man laughs, and Roman being stuck gives him time to look around the room he was in, which was best described as an operating room. Lights that adjusted sat overhead as the man dug through a cabinet. Roman can’t quite make out what is in it, but he knew it was bad.

Slowly, the man turns back. He carelessly cuts away Romans shirt and puts cool sticky pads on his chest. After a moment, Roman hears what must be a heart monitor, beeping annoyingly in the background. The man attaches more of the pads to his temples, his wrist, and a few more around  his chest. The worry reflects as the traitorous machine picks up Romans accelerated heart rate.

The man finally leans over him, “Call me Doctor Jones…” He says, patting Romans cheek, Roman snaps back menacingly in response. Missing the doctors fingers just barely.

Doctor Jones wheels over the fluid hanger, and Roman scowls as he presses a slightly blue bag onto the hooks, before his fingers prod the back of Romans hand. Roman gasps as a sudden sharp pain briefly flashes where a needle had been placed. A slightly worse pain follows as Jones gets the IV in properly. Roman grimaces, and glares at him, but the expression slowly moves to concern as he watches the blue tinted liquid drip down, to what he could see of his hand.

The cool liquid enters his blood, and oddly, Roman can tell exactly where it is. The substance seeming to turn his nerves on high, as it spreads. He becomes aware of everything touching him. The chafe of the straps to the slight pinch of his own clothes. Each sense demanding his full attention and alert. It takes a few minutes before his head to his toes is nearly buzzing with attention. He feels his muscles working for breath and each heart beat that pulses through him.

Jones reappears in Romans line of sight, forcing a rag into Romans mouth, “Bite this dear… You’ll thank me later…” 

Roman doesn’t have time to question, before a sharp pain rips across his forearm. When the doctor shifts, he sees a bloody scalpel in his hand. It moves and the pain erupts again. Roman feels each nerve being ripped by the knife and he screams into the rag, clenching his teeth as best he can. 

The man only seems encouraged, starting to cut deeper. To angle the scalpel or create little pockets. Roman screams endlessly, hearing his throat grow hoarse as it only adds to the pain he’s in.

Eventually, the man turns to pinching, to smacking and poking. They’re just as bad, his body responding the same way and tears have started to push down his face, the absolute misery coating him was suffocating. But Roman can’t black out. His body working overtime means his mind won’t pause long enough for it to allow him darkness.

He quickly loses track of time, seconds become hours yet hours pass in moments. He swears it is the next day yet no time has passed, his mind racing to understand the torment.

But he can’t, he’s stuck on the table, wailing while the man mercilessly tortures him.

 

He isn’t sure when it stops. When the man bandages his body, and drags him back to a cell. He isn’t even sure if it was the same one he had been in earlier, but it is away from the torturous man. So as soon as Doctor Jones lays him down, he does his best to jerk the blanket around himself, pulling himself away.

Doctor Jones merely chuckles, and walks away. 

“Maybe now you’ll learn to do as you're told, and behave…’

Roman nods, anything to keep the burning pain as far from his exhausted body as possible. Only after Jones shuts the door, does Romans mind allow him to pass into darkness.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil POV

The door opens and Virgil jumps to his feet immediately, ready to fight whoever comes in. His fists drop as he looks at Patton, who stands in the doorway with a calm smile over his face.

“Patton!” Virgil rushes over, hugging him tightly.

Patton stiffens, and doesn’t return the warm greeting. Virgil moves back, looking over Patton's face to see what was wrong. The face looking over him was knit in confusion. Patton merely takes his hand, “Follow me…”

Virgil nods, looking both ways down the hall as Patton calmly begins to walk down the hall. He moves comfortably, and without worry. Virgil follows him quietly, his brow furrowed as he watches Patton's movements. Each seemed too off, too careful, and it put him on edge. 

“Patton how did you escape? Wheres everyone else? What is going on?!” 

The boy doesn’t answer, simply stopping outside a door and knocking shortly, three times. Virgil takes a step back, worry knotting in his stomach as it opens to a man in a surgical mask, and doctors coat. 

The man looks from Patton to Virgil, before opening the door to allow them in. By now, Virgil knows this is wrong and his feet freeze to the ground, he can’t run, but he won’t move forward. 

Patton waves his arm, “Come on… This way now…” His voice sounds warm, his smile so inviting but Virgil can’t trust it. The doctor scowls and jerks forward, grabbing Virgil by the arm before he can fight back and hauling him inside.

Virgil drags his feet, he screams and kicks and tries everything to stop the man. He’s unfazed and simply shoves Virgil onto a gurney. Patton sits at the top, where he cradles Virgil's head. Virgil screams and thrashes as the doctor works to tie his hands down. 

Patton keeps Virgil's head down as the man grabs a syringe. He is quick in his injection, pushing the plug down in Virgil's arm. He hurls insults at him endlessly, screaming angrily at him.

Another few breaths, and Virgil's eyes feel heavier. A few more gasps, and his body has stopped responding to his orders to fight. Each breath makes him feel worse, and soon his eyes won’t stay open. 

Soon, he is in darkness.

 

/\/\/\/\//\/\//\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

Virgil comes to back in his cell. His right forearm burns and his entire mouth feels dry and filled with pillow fluff. He groans, as what had put him to sleep returns to his memory. His mind won’t wake up fast enough, as he groggily tries to sit up. His arm burns as he tries to put weight on it and he groans. Still incoherent enough that he couldn’t focus to see how to remove the bandage.

It takes several more minutes for his mind to be fully awake. Giving him time to wonder over Patton's odd behavior, it had seemed so unlike the happy friend. And Patton was not one who would lead any of his friends to harm. The whole thing made Virgil's head pound in confusion.

Finally, when he has 10 fingers instead of 20, he focuses on his arm. He grimaces as his fingers tug on the wrapping. Slowly, he works it off. Revealing the deep bruising that went up  along it. His stomach twists as he sees higher and higher.

Finally, he pulls off the last bit of bandaging, his arm burning in protest as he looks. His stomach drops, and he gags, horrified as he sees the slight reflection bounce back at him.

There sat a timer, the display reading 8,640.

He had a timer, and worse, a soul mate.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton POV

Patton sits up in a sudden panic, gasping. He turns the light on, his hands sweaty as he chases the remains of the fear away. He scuffles in his nightstand, pulling out the notebook, and with a deep breath, recounted the horrible nightmare that had woken him.

Again, faces seem unclear. And he had been in a fight, he had been tormented to gain information for the enemy. The members of his troop had been captured as well, including his secret boyfriend. He wanted to protect them, he wanted to save them. But he couldn’t.

The longer he thought about it, the more he realized one of his troop members had been prisoner 02 from today. How odd that this boy had entered his subconscious. He wrote a quick note about that. He would want to discuss it with Doctor Jones in their next session.

Patton flipped through the past few pages of his notebook, he had written down the hallucinations and dreams from the previous night as well. They were each as odd, and had woken him up in a start of fear.

Work, he merely told himself, work left him stressed. Despite them being prisoners, and traitors to the country, Patton felt his heart go to the men within his care. The three rebels who had tried to ruin the beautiful country he lived in.

Doctor Jones told him that he had been a kind person before his accident, that he had loved service and making happy. So it wasn’t odd for him to feel so fond over the strangers. But Patton couldn’t let that stop him from his duties, his work for Doctor Jones helped. 

The first prisoner, had been so mouthy. He had argued and fought with Doctor Jones, breaking many rules which resulted in a tragic punishment. He had heard Prisoner 1 scream and it had hurt his heart so. But he couldn’t interfere, he didn’t dare.

Prisoner 2, was curious, and had been so peculiar in his dream. He fretted and worried, at one point, he called himself Anxiety. Patton thought over this for a moment, and decided it was the worry he had over how he was healing. Though Doctor Jones said his improvement was wonderful and quick, he still felt as if he were far behind in his life, filling in holes that he should know.

And Prisoner 3, the most peculiar one, he was due to be the meal deliverer tomorrow, so he had yet  to have interacted with him, but this man made Patton's heart race when ever he saw him. The man had glasses much like Patton's own and spent the hours of day and night at a computer, typing away. 

He had worked an agreement of some sort, so he was on the best terms of the three there. He hardly had spoken, and Patton found himself daydreaming about the stranger. When he had mentioned this to Doctor Jones, he had smiled so sympathetically. He told Patton that before his accident, his match had been similar looking to Logan, a girl with short dark hair and glasses. Who enjoyed the color blue that this rebel wore. The accident that had caused Patton so much damage, and had taken her from him. His reminder now was the broken glass on his wrist.

Patton glanced at it now, he had only been working with Doctor Jones for two days, but he still felt so confused, so concerned. The nightmares that haunted him, waking him up. And his focus on the rebels. Patton didn’t know himself, and he wasn’t sure if he was the same to know anyways. 

He remembered bits before the accident, but the closer to recent time it got, the less he remembered. He remembered his family, his childhood, but he knew nothing of the past two months. And beyond that was fuzzy, some times he could recall things, and other times he could not. 

It had frustrated him to tears last night, and he felt that same way again, so he closed his eyes, wrote down a few more words in the notebook, and urged himself to go back to sleep. And hopefully, the dreams would be pleasant, or perhaps, not exist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo look at that! I posted like 5 chapters today. Anyways, lots going on in life as usual, but I have fallen in love with the channel How to ADHD on Youtube and have been binge watching her content online. For those who don't know, I've lost track of where I have and have not said it, I have ADHD, I was just diagnosed in June, a month before I turned 20! So I am relearning what is normal, what is ADHD, and what can I reteach myself.   
> Her content has been endlessly helpful, and I highly recommend it. I cried when I listened to Try Different by her, and so anyone who feels a little unusual, I suggest listening to it, ADHD or not. Anyways, this has been more info than any of you probably cared for.   
> Hope you enjoyed this round of posting, stalk me on Tumblr @Writersgirl3 :)


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan POV

It felt as though it had been hours since his eyes had left the screen. As he typed furiously, still hoping he wouldn’t be caught speaking with Sleep. He hadn’t seen Patton's face all day, his cell had been empty. Logan stared at it again, hoping that Patton would appear, would do something so he could see his face. Sleep said that Patton was alive, no files appeared to show he was dead, but not much more could currently be found. 

He looked to the others, he saw Roman, still huddled on the cot, recovering from his previous torments. And Virgil, who never approached his cot, he sat huddled in the corner. Occasionally, he would pace and scream, but he refused to touch the bed, resorting often to the corner he currently occupied.

“Do you have any progress to report?”

Logan had been so occupied on his friends, he hadn’t heard the stranger enter, he jumps slightly, looking at the woman before him.

“Wheres Patton?”

“That wasn’t the question.”

Immediately, he sees someone enter Romans cell, Logan gulps, looking up to the woman.

“You don’t want dear Creativity to be harmed?”

“Let him go!”’

The scream. Logans cameras didn’t have audio, the scream was being heard through his open door. He leaps to his feet, “Stop it!”

The woman just stares at him, and he snaps quickly, “No! No I haven’t found any more holes! Please stop!”

The wails stop, and when Logan looks back at the screen, Roman is once again alone. His hands relax, and he sits, dropping his head into his hands. Another set of footsteps approaches and he looks up.

“Patton!”

Again, Logan has jumped to his feet, his legs tiredly protesting the movement after holding still for so long. His heart pounding as he stares at his boyfriend, standing before him, holding a tray of food.

His boyfriend looks at him, his brow quirking softly, “You know my name as well?”

“What? Patton I’m your boyfriend!”

“Thats not possible… I had a match, and she passed…”

Logan immediately glares at the woman, “What did you do?!” He pushes on the table, unable to take any steps as the anger surges over him. 

Patton's hands tremble, making the dishware chink softly. Patton steps back, and Logan growls, still glaring at the woman. 

“What did you do!” Logan screams, and this time, Patton drops the tray. Instantly, Logan melts into concern, his voice dropping as he desperately reaches for Patton, surprised to find his own hands shaking.

“Prisoner 3. This is no way to behave… Especially around dear Patton here, who is recovering from some troubling times…” She curls her arms around Patton's shaking shoulders. The boy looks confused as he touches his cheeks, feeling the warm tears that sit there. 

The pieces jump together quickly, Logan nearly sees them line up as he stares. He hadn’t seen Patton in several days, the shock at knowing his name, and not reacting to Logan. 

“You took his memories.”

The statement makes Patton start to cry more and Logan reaches, desperate to comfort him, but is still far from reach.

“How dare you.” The woman glowers at him, tugging Patton closer, “how dare you accuse us of such horrors, the accident that befell Patton was tragic, for him to have suffered how much he has, this was a mistake I see…” She carefully leads Patton's shaking form from the room and Logan screams when the door is shut, finally lifting the laptop and throwing it furiously. 

Screaming every foul thing he can think of, practically feeling the rage waft off himself. He tries to move, to shove the table, dislodge the chair, but it all sits too firmly in place. 

“There will be consequences to this behavior.” 

Logan looks up, glaring at the man in his doorway. Doctor Jones gives only a small smug grin. 

“Should we take it out on him?”

“You wouldn’t.” Logan forced venom into the words, hiding the terror that they would hurt Patton, when he was so dangerously innocent.

Doctor Jones only smirks, picking up the laptop, which had survived the throw quite well, he hits a few buttons and sets the screen in front of Logan. Logan glares at him, trying to ignore the still operating room that filled up the screen. Another camera, hidden. 

His gaze only breaks when he sees movement through his peripheral. He looks down to see Patton, still crying be led in. Doctor Jones hits another button, and the soft crinkle of static hums through the speakers. The doctor retreats, leaving Logan to stare at Patton on the screen.

His hands ache with how tightly he’s clutching them, but he stares intently anyways.

“I’m so sorry you’ve had this trouble dear…” Doctor Jones enters the room, embracing Patton as he sits on the table. 

“I… Why did this cause me to cry so much? I don’t understand…!” Patton sounds almost childlike, innocent to the cruelty that he was suffering. 

“I think with some another session, we may be able to unlock more memories, help you some more…”

Patton nods, and Logan frowns, what were they talking about?

“Lay down…”

Patton obeys, stretching onto his back on the thin mattress, and Logan feels his stomach knot, surely this was still a bluff, they wouldn’t, they wouldn’t!

It seems Patton's eyes are shut, and Doctor Jones starts to attach things to Patton. Sticky pads and wires cross across Patton, and Logan chews his lip, tensely waiting in horror.

“Wait… Please no…” He whispers, looking at the screen. Only another moment passes, before Patton's scream blast through the speakers. 

“No! Stop please!” Logans heart pounds and he looks around, terrified.

“I’m sorry! Please stop!!” He shouts, gasping and sinking to his knees. Unable to look away.

No one responds to Logans shouts, and he watches, horrified. Murmuring apologies as Patton sobs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow look! I'm alive! Its been almost a month since my last update... And I have lots of reasons, excuses, and tales about why that is the case. Mostly, it can be summed up in one thing, Mental Health.  
> I have ADHD, and Depression. And I take several medications to treat them, and they weren't working so I changed them. This meant withdrawals (depression medication can be miserable sometimes...), trying new medications, and more of that fun stuff. I'm still dealing with a lot of changes, but it really affected my motivation, so that is mostly why there wasn't much more written... I also spent the last few days sick, and I just, am kinda a trainwreck right now, so sorry about dumping it here, but its here if anyone cares to read it.   
> Now that I have whined about my mental health, let me add and say that mental health is so important, and that it should be taken care of, whine as I may about medications, they do lots to help me function when they are doing their correct job and its great. This is a lot, and so um.,. yeah. Any questions, comments, or anything, come stalk me on Tumblr at @Writersgirl3   
> ...I should sleep now...


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman

The effects of whatever concoction they had given Roman led to what he could only describe as a hangover. His entire body ached and when he moved, he could have sworn his head was lagging behind his body.

He whined, closing his eyes and shivered as he heard the creek of the door open. 

“I have lunch rations…”

Roman bolts upright, sitting and staring at the owner of the voice. He couldn’t believe that Patton was there before him.

Patton only stares back at him, his brow quirked. 

Romans eyes search over him, desperate to see chains, or some kind of control to explain why Patton was simply standing there, holding a tray full of food like an employee.

“This seems to be a common reaction… Was I that familiar to the rebels?” Patton asks, he glances back to the hall, addressing someone Roman can’t see. The sentence does little to help Roman understand. Patton was a rebel, they all were coined rebels. How was it that he suddenly saw himself separate from everyone there.

“Surely you don’t also see me as someone you once knew?”

“Once knew? Patton I was your match! Until we broke it!” Roman didn’t care if he was revealing secrets anymore, he had to make that confused face Patton wore go away. 

“My match passed away… You are trying to destroy my country…”

“The Hell are you talking about?!” Roman stands, freezing when he sees Patton cringe away. He stays in place, half raised and still watching Patton closely. 

“Every one of you is delusional…” Patton whispers, moving himself forward and hurriedly setting the tray beside Roman on the bed. 

“Pat-”

Patton gives a strange yelp when Roman catches his arm, he looks terrified. Roman releases him quickly, stepping away as Patton stumbles back, trembling. 

Nothing about the encounter made sense, Patton was acting so oddly, as if he had no clue who Roman was anymore.

Roman tries to follow as Patton quickly steps from the room, his shoulders trembling. But a stranger shoves him back into the cell as soon as Patton has moved out of the doorframe.

“Patton!” 

“Get on your cot.”

Roman ignores the stranger, trying to push past him to see Patton, who stands with his back against the wall, slowly stepping away. 

“Patton please!” 

“Get on your cot!” 

“You villain! Let me talk to him!”

The man shoves Roman hard, taking the moment Roman spends steadying himself to pin him to the wall, his arm pressed against Romans throat.

“You’re gonna leave him be. And you’re gonna sit here quietly, or I swear I’ll crush your throat.”

Roman can’t answer, stuck gasping for air as he claws against the man's arm, finally, he nods enough for the man to move away and Roman sinks to the ground, gasping to get air in his system.

The man leaves, and he briefly hears Patton's voice again before his the door shuts and he is left in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry.. I know this is a short chapter....


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil
> 
>  
> 
> There seems to be a break happening...

The bruising in Virgil's arm had finally stopped darkening, the skin around it still tender and inflamed. It didn’t help that he had spent most of the night trying to claw the glass off his arm. 

It had failed, the display still stared at him and he hated it. So he kept himself pressed into the corner, miserably glaring at the door. The thought of him following Patton so blindly made him sick, and the cries of Roman that broke their way through were just as painful. 

Even worse, was the number. The number that was going to drug him into falling in love with someone else. Someone that wasn’t Roman, someone who he had never met. 

Virgil tried to avoid thinking about that, but it was all he had now. He had exhausted possible escape routes, was too scared to try anything for fear of being hurt, and it left him with just the one thought. This mysterious match who he would be stuck with.

He refused to lay on the cot, where he had awoken to find the wretched timer, where he felt so exposed. Emotions still close to the surface but he swallowed his tears, refusing to let them be the reason he cried. He couldn’t break. He couldn’t.

The door swings open suddenly and Virgil scrambles to his feet, ready to react to whoever comes through the door. His fists raised as he peers over them, once again losing his steam as he looks at none other than his boyfriend. Roman.

Roman, covered in cuts and bruises and his throat slightly swollen. The thinly veiled emotions cut away and tears roll down his cheeks. He throws himself around Roman, pulling the other into a tight hug. They both tremble, and he feels Romans firm arms wrap around him as well.

Neither of them speak, just staying pressed together as they focus solely on the other, desperately drinking in the friendliest contact they’ve had in days. Only when Virgil adjusts his arms, letting out a small gasp as he pushes onto the deep bruises does Roman pull back. 

Its almost like he knows, his quick hands catching Virgil's arm before the other can even pull it back to hide. Tenderly, his fingers wipe across the display, before he looks up at Virgil.

“They…?”

Virgil nods, tears burning the edges of his vision again, he knows Roman is crying as well, feeling the damp drops land in his hair as Roman hugs him tightly again. Virgil wishes he could freeze the moment, stay trapped in Romans hug instead of the hellish place they were now.

“How tender.”

Virgil stiffens, and feels Roman do the same as the horrible voice of Doctor Jones enters the room. 

They both turn, staring at the doctor as he enters with a few more men, all smirking softly.

“How are the lovebirds?”

Virgil and Roman stare back silently, refusing to speak to the tormentor. 

“I have hit a bit of a rough patch getting anywhere with you stubborn boys… So I came to a conclusion…” 

Virgil hates the malicious glint the Doctor wears and he squeezes Romans hand. Before they have a chance to even question, the extras have wrenched the two away from each other. One shoves Roman against the wall, his arm twisted against his back to keep him in place. 

Another has his arms around Virgil, pinning him easily against his own form. One arm wrapped around his throat. Virgil can see Romans panic at what is happening, as he squirms, “Let him go!”

Doctor Jones merely chuckles, “Roman… Talk, or watch him die…”

“You wouldn’t!” Roman snarls, and in response, the man tightens his grip on Virgil's throat. Virgil gasps, grabbing at the arm and desperately trying to pull it away. He wasn’t quite cut off of air, but it was close. 

“I’m done being kind. You will talk or he will die.”

“Roman don-!” Virgil's voice is cut as the man cuts off the last bit of air Virgil had access to. He shakes his head desperately, hoping Roman would just let him die, he couldn’t be the reason Roman broke.

Roman growls, but only after Virgil's fight starts to fade does the horror that Doctor Jones is very serious does he react. The fear in his eyes shining as he watches Virgil. Virgil feebly tries to shake his head again, though not much seems possible anymore as black clouds his vision. He prayed he wouldn’t wake up, that Roman would stay quiet and he could be free of the timer.

“Fine!” Roman yelps, his voice strangled as he watches Virgil's eyes start to shut, “I’ll talk! Please stop!” 

Air floods its way back into Virgil's lungs and he finds the floor rushing to meet him faster than it should. He feels the cool press of the floor, and faintly he hears Roman still shouting, but its quiet. 

Virgil feels too exhausted to fight the pull of darkness, as he passes out once again, going blank to the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow look at the updates! So wow anyways. I adore everyone who has been leaving comments! You guys are amazing! Anyways, I have been applying to jobs and finding some new work, but it also means I have been on my laptop more so I have been writing too!  
> Anyways, stalk me on Tumblr, Writersgirl3   
> And hopefully I'll have some more to post quickly! :)


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton

~~~~

It was exhausting. Everything felt exhausting. He now seemed to be relentlessly getting pounding migraines, the prisoners he watched over seemed so desperately to know who he was, and it seemed as though when he squinted, he thought they were familiar. He didn’t dare say that to Doctor Jones, he had once said that one of the prisoners was attractive and the man had lost it a bit. 

It terrified Patton, and he had started to cut himself off, the man making him sick with nerves at being the focus of his temper again. 

What endlessly confused him was how each one of the others here knew his name. They each were so desperate to get some sort of answer from him. They shouted at him desperately, they reached for him, cried for him. Why was he so important to them?!

Frustrated, Patton fell against his pillow and screamed. It did nothing but worsen the migraine pinching his mind.

He groans again, and just lays there, breathing slowly through the cotton. He was so tired… So exhausted, so sleepy. 

Slowly, his breaths turn longer, as he drifts to sleep, curled on his side as he fades.

 

When Patton awakes, the migraine is not as intense. The clock on the opposite wall says that its 10:30. Pushing himself up, he searches the studio for a cup, taking a deep drink of water to get the dry taste from his mouth. 

He still feels foggy, but is just relieved that the migraine has eased itself into a headache. He wondered where Logan was, he hadn’t seen him in a while. As Patton moves to the door, the migraine surges back viciously and he sinks down, pressing his forehead into his hands as the pain overtakes him for a moment. When it fades back enough for him to think, he can’t remember what his train of thought was.

He only remembered that he was leaving. Dragging himself to his feet again, he opens the door, moving out into the hall of the studio apartments that many of the other workers filled.

He stifles another yawn and heads down, searching for someone, he’d even discuss with the odd prisoners if it gave something to distract him from his burning mind.

As his steps echo down the hall, he finds his headache lessening once again. He smiles to himself as he feels better, eagerly beginning to search for someone to talk to. Perhaps Virgil would be willing to speak with him again. 

He stops at a door, his smile faltering. Confusion started to seep through as he looked through an open door way, Logan. Logan was there, his feet chained to a chair, as he frantically typed on a computer. 

“Lo…” Patton whispers, relief filling him as he hurries around the table to pull Logan into a tight hug. Logans eyes, dark circles underneath focus in as if he can’t quite understand what he’s seeing. 

“P-pat?” 

Patton moves back and nods softly, looking at Logan curiously.

“Yea…?”

“You, remember me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Patton queries and Logan makes a soft gasp, pulling Patton tightly into a hug.

“They… Your memories… You didn’t…” Logan finds himself unable to make the words work properly as he holds Patton close. Patton keeps pressed close against him, closing his eyes as the headache surges back painfully. 

“Patton?” The voice asks, and Patton sits up, staring at the prisoner. He didn’t remember coming down, or why the prisoner was embracing him as if he may disappear.

Patton pushes back, trying to understand the hurt expression the traitor wears. He doesn’t understand any of it as his head pounds angrily, every sound seeming to be amplified and angry. 

After a few moments, it seeps back into a bearable place and he looks up, relieved to see Logan, who looked at him strangely. 

“Logan!”

“What kind of game do you think you’re playing?”

“Lo?”

Patton's head tilts as he looks at Logan, whose normally still face is burning with emotions. He moves over, taking the others hand. Logan only responds by staring at it silently. Time moves slowly as both try to understand why the other was behaving so oddly.

A nurse half flies into the room, her eyes narrowing as she catches sight of Patton. 

“You!”

“Me?” Patton frowns as the woman stalks up quickly towards him, grabbing his arm. Patton shrinks towards Logan, trying to pull himself free from the others grip.

“You missed your medications.” She says, scowling at Logan as he tugs Patton to stand beside him. 

Logans eyes narrow as he glares at the woman, “Thats how… Pat they’ve been using medications to block your memory…”

Patton frowns and the woman scowls, looking between the two of them before giving a soft laugh.

“So… You think its all going to be better if you tell him? Well prepare… You have a few minutes left together…” She releases Patton's arm and leaves just as quickly. Patton can feel his mind racing, as he mentally repeats Logans words.

“I, I forgot you?” He whispers, looking back at Logan.

“They had you as a worker or something… But you’re ok… Oh God you remember me…” Logan pants, as he pulls Patton back into a warm hug, cradling him as Patton sorts through everything.

It feels as though hes only been standing there a few moments when Doctor Jones storms into the room, glaring at Patton. 

“I see you don’t want to take your medications…”

“You kidnapped me! How dare you!” Patton goes to take a swing at Doctor Jones, who redirects the energy easily, causing Patton to fall on the ground.

“Pat!” Logan tries to reach him, just out of reach from the chains on his ankles.

Doctor Jones grabs Patton by his hair, pulling him up and forcing him to stand behind the very chair that Logan was chained to. He pulls handcuffs from his pocket, firmly cuffing Patton so he was stuck. He checks them before smirking softly at Patton. 

Next, the doctor kneels and undoes Logans ankles, freeing him. Logan is taken off guard enough to stand still, allowing the man to shove him onto the table. He moves quickly, nearly before Logan can react as he suddenly has a knife. 

Logan screams as it pierces through his arm, leaving the grinding sound as it hits the metal table beneath him.

“No!” Patton screams, trying to move forward, eyes wide as he sees Logans pain. 

“No one wants to talk… Patton, as soon as you do, he’s free. I’ll leave him be.”

Patton looks at Logan, as his breath shakes, exhaustedly trying to keep himself calm.

“Pat he’s lying…” Logan whispers, his breath shallow. Doctor Jones laughs, twisting the knife again, eliciting a scream from both of the boys.

“You want the pain to stop, you talk Patton.” Doctor Jones hisses, pulling the knife free from Logans arm. 

“P-please…” Patton's knees tremble as they stop supporting him. He presses himself against the chair to keep himself off the ground as he tries to reach his hand for Logan.

Logans eyes no longer are open, closed as he works to find some kind of peace.

“I don’t really want to be patient…” The doctor coos, resting the blade against Logans neck and pressing hard enough that Patton can see the tiny red line of blood forming.

Patton opens his mouth repeatedly, desperately trying to force something other than horrified noises to leave his airways.

“Don’t…” Logans tense voice drips through, and Patton looks away, gasping. Despite his efforts, no words seem to be coming through. 

The stiff silence sits in the air, as they all watch, anxiously awaiting for someone to give. For Patton to speak, Logan to shout, Doctor Jones to make good on his word. 

“Just… a bit… longer…” Logan pants, shakily reaching and pushing the knife from his throat with his good arm. Doctor Jones merely laughs, shifting and piercing through Logans side. Logan screams again, as Patton reaches desperately, tears freely falling from his face. 

“please! Please stop!” 

“stop?” Doctor Jones grins cruelly, about to move again when a piercing alarm sounds through the building. 

Logan grins faintly, his face gray as the Doctor looks down the hall, before running from the room. 

“w-were escaping…” Logan pants, still stuck on the table and losing consciousness quickly. 

“what? Logan stay awake!” Patton screams, lunging again in the vain attempt to reach him. 

“Sleep…” Logan murmurs, his eyes no longer fluttering, but resting shut. 

“no! No Lo wake up!” Patton screams.

“no… Sleep…” Logan repeats, before fading from consciousness.

Patton whimpers, no closer to reaching him than he had been earlier. 

The alarm hasnt stopped ringing, reminding Patton of the fire alarms his schools had had. The flash, the bell. Surely he was just imagining the smell of smoke, it was his tired body playing tricks. 

Slowly, the smoke thickens, becoming overwhelming to the point Patton can no longer pretend it isnt real. He kneels, coughing heavily. He was beginning to accept that this was it, they had been left for dead. 

His lungs burn as he fights for breath, eventually, he gives in to the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I set the building on fire.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan

 

Consciousness tugged at Logan, and he tiredly tried to ignore it, rolling closer into the warmth beside him. He was so warm, so cozy. Eventually, thirst and his sore muscles drag him fully awake and he opens his eyes, squinting in the dim light.

He slowly becomes aware of soft breathing beside him, he squints, and his breath catches as he sees Patton sleeping beside him, curled close to Logan.

Tears burn as he presses a quick kiss to Patton's forehead. They were out, it had worked… Sleep had done it, it had worked.

That meant somewhere, surely, there would be the fellow rebel, as well as Roman and Virgil.

Logan pauses, allowing himself to soak up Patton's presence before he pushes himself back to his feet, rolling himself out of bed. His muscles scream tensely against his movement, he notices that his injuries have been mostly attended to. He moves slowly out of the small bedroom, creaking open the door. He had no idea what time it could be, but there were voices down the hall in what seemed to be the kitchen. Carefully ge padded his way down and stood at the outlet of the hallway.

A boy sat, his feet resting on the kitchen table, reclined in his chair. A mug curled in his hand. Logan hesitantly cleared his throat, and the stranger turned to him, also getting the attention of who ever he had been speaking to by the stove.

“Logic! You’re awake!” The man stands, moving over and shaking Logans hand, “I’m Remy, or Sleep as you have known me lately…”

“You’re our saviour.” Logan smiled softly, returning the handshake firmly.

“Well I suppose…” Remy laughs, “That could be the term…”

“And the other two? Anxiety and Creativity?-”   
“They’re in the room beside yours…” He says gently, smiling at the relief that spreads across Logans face.

“Tea?” Remy offers, gesturing towards the kitchen, Logan nods, stepping forward and glancing to the stranger in the kitchen. 

Remy follows his gaze and laughs softly, “Sorry! Thats my little brother, Nate… He was the one helping me work everything out…”

The shyer boy waves softly, standing near the fridge. He holds out a mug, which Logan accepts quickly, getting his tea started.

“So, the buildings toast?” Nate asks, looking at Remy again, Logan follows the gaze quietly and can’t help but feel relieved when he nods. 

“Currently, there seem to be no survivors…”

Logan isn’t sure if the news should be a comfort or concern, so he merely opts to deal with it later, taking a deep sip of his tea.

“We’ve gotten most of your guys’ injuries taken care of… At least as much as we can… But this thing has kind of put a halt to the little rebellion you had planned…”

“It, wasn’t ever a complete plan…” Logan shrugs, keeping his gaze in the amber liquid before him.

“Anyways… Things are pretty high security right now… We either drop it, or lay low for six months at least…” Remy sighs, watching Logan for a reaction of some kind. Logan isn’t even sure how he wants to react to the news, so he does his best to keep his gaze calm and collected.

“I need to go check on the others…” Logan says quietly, setting his half finished drink on the counter and moving back towards the bedrooms without saying another word.

Carefully, he knocks on the door Remy had said belonged to Roman and Virgil.

No one answers, and he creaks the door open, peering around the frame.

He sees Roman, still asleep on the bed, and he turns, looking around to see Virgil, his back pressed into the corner, sniffling.

“Virg?”

The shadowed boy jumps and looks up shakily, “Logan… Logan you gotta help me…” He whispers, wiping the tears from his cheeks and moving up. Logan watches as he pulls his sleeve up, his stomach jumping at the timer that had appeared on Virgil's pale skin.

“I want it gone.... Or It’ll force me to find someone else… L-Logan please…” He gasps, his breath catching as he starts to panic.

“Virg… Virgil breath… in… Out… There you go… We’ll figure this out… Please…”

“We get it off or we cut off my arm.” He chokes, trembling, sobbing. He has long since stopped trying to be quiet, Logan looks up to see Roman getting woken up by the noise.

“virg?” he calls groggily, rubbing his eyes while he tries to adjust. Virgil ignores him in favor of just crying on the floor. 

Logan doesn't interfere, simply kneeling down to examine the deep bruises that still lined Virgil's arm. 

Roman is quickly beside him, pulling his lover into his arms and murmuring gently to him. Eventually, Logan leaves again. Seeing Roman with Virgil making him ache to treasure Patton, and as soon as the boy wakes, that's what hes going to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dont think I can even begin to put into words how wonderful the comments you guys have been leaving are!   
> Like, they are literally highlights to my day and make me feel so good. I sit down to write because I'm excited for more feedback. I cant even express how grateful and happy I am. But the best way ishere!! Thanks all for the support!!


	30. Chapter 30

After Logan leaves, Roman simply rocks Virgil, murmuring gently whenever he needed the extra words. 

“You don’t u-understand… It’ll brainwash m-me… force me! We h-have to get rid of it!” Virgil chokes out, starting to scratch around the glass display again. Roman nervously tugs his hands away.

“Virgil my love… we’ll figure it out…” Roman pulls Virgil's arm to his own, kissing it very tenderly, “This doesn’t make me love you any less…”

Virgil shakes his head, allowing himself to rest against Romans chest.

“I just want to-”

“Don’t. Look where we are.” Roman cuts off, tugging Virgil close again. The shadow is quiet for a moment while he looks around.

“Look Virgil, we’re free… We are out of that hell hole…” 

Virgil stills for a moment, looking around at what Roman had pointed out.

“No way…” He breathes softly, moving finally to sit up and look around, “We’re…. We’re free?”

Roman nods, a smile returning to his own face as the fiery spirit returns to Virgil's eyes, “Logan got most of it planned… With sleep… And if I understood right, thats where we are now… Kid lit the whole building on fire…”

Virgil stares at Roman, and as soon as he has finished speaking, he crashes into Roman in a passionate kiss. 

“We’re free…” Virgil murmurs when Roman pulls back for a few quick breathes, he nods softly, this time being the one to move into the kiss. He pauses to kiss Virgil's nose, his cheeks, his jaw, suddenly relishing the contact. The more Virgil repeated the words, the more he realized how trapped they had been. 

It hadn’t even been long… Maybe a week? Or two? Time had blurred so much that Roman was left unsure of anything that had to do with the date or time they were in. But Virgil was reminding him so dearly, that it was over. That while they had to deal with the timer, the monsters who had trapped them were gone. He was fairly certain they were even dead, he felt a bit guilty at hoping that was true.

“Should we return to the bed….? Not that the floor is bad… but…” 

Virgil laughed, looking up at Roman and giving a soft nod, “Sure… Sure…”

The two make their way to their feet and soon they have huddled back in bed, bundled under the covers and pressed close. Roman keeps his arms protectively around Virgil, everything in him screaming to protect him after the whole thing. 

But eventually, the silence becomes tense. As Roman starts to pour over the time they had spent under the torture of Doctor Jones, most importantly, the last time he had seen him. 

“I’m Sorry Virgil…” Roman whispers into his boyfriends hair, his own tears choking at his throat as he realizes the bruise still adorned Virgil's neck. 

“You… what?” Virgil adjusts, trying to look up at Roman from his position.

“I’m sorry… You told me not to tell them, but they were going to kill you an-”

“I’m not upset…”Virgil cuts him off, pressing a tender kiss to Romans chin, the highest he could currently reach without some real readjustment, “If they had done that to me… I probably would have agreed too…”

“But-” 

“No. No buts. I am not blaming you for saving me…”

Virgil cut him off when he tried again to speak, and eventually, he let the subject drop. He had to trust that Virgil was being honest, that he wasn’t upset at him.

The two rest on the floor quietly, Roman holding Virgil closely as they both just soaked up in the company from each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy late Thanksgiving to all my fellow American peeps! I finally got to writing some more, mostly just finishing this chapter... Juice wasn't quite flowing like I wanted... Meh...


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil

Eventually, Virgil has to pull himself off the floor, out of Roman's warm arms when his stomach growls.   
So he makes his way towards the door, holding Roman's hand loosely in his own as a comfort. He shuffles his way down the hall, stopping in his tracks as he faces the two strangers in the kitchen.   
He squeezes Roman's hand, panic building as he looks between the two people. The taller one looks up and grins, “Hey! You're awake!” he looks to the other stranger, clearing his throat before continuing. “Anyways, I'm Sleep, Remy is my real name,and this is my brother Nate…”  
Virgil stands tensely, still unmoving as he watches Remy, every sense on high alert as he waits for this to be some sort of trap.  
Roman squeezes his hand, “Virgil… They helped us escape… They’re on our side…”  
It takes a few moments for Virgil's mind to process what Roman had said, and his guilt screams that its still a lie, and this is going to end in a horrible punishment very soon.  
The room stands still, before Virgil finally accepts what Roman has told him, shakily, he nods, refusing to release Romans hand. He is still trembling and watches everything closely.  
“Now we just need to see Morality and I’ll know you’re all alive!” Remy grins, holding a mug of hot water out to Virgil, “Coffee?Tea? Hot chocolate? Figured you might want something warm, you’re a twig honey, drinks are on the counter.”  
A tense moment passes before Virgil accepts the mug, curling his trembling fingers around the warmth. He brings the steaming liquid to his face, as it eases the chilly tremors that had been coursing over him. He wanted to soak in every bit of the warmth as much as he could.   
But he couldn’t trust the liquid, there were poisons that were undetectable in water, even more so masked under flavored drinks. Paranoia still coursed through him, a trait from his mother he had learned.  
Virgil dawdles, finding other things to do until Remy looks away. He uses the moment to set the mug in the sink, his hands searching back for Romans as an anxious comfort. Roman was stability, he knew Roman, loved him. Things were slightly more manageable with Roman around.   
If Remy notices the cup, he doesn’t say anything as he grins at Virgil.  
“So you! You escaped the timers! Its absolutely fascinating and-”  
Virgil dropped his head, shame burning across his cheeks and tears prickling behind his eyes, Remy catches the change quickly and stops, “What is it?”  
Virgil has long since lost the emotional strength to talk about it, he merely tugs his sleeve up again, allowing the light to slide against the glass screen.  
Nate jumps to his feet and Virigl nearly throws himself into Roman to flinch away, dropping the sleeve, he doesn’t relax as Nate moves over to him quickly.  
“They just added this? Like as an adult?” Nate has grabbed his arm quietly, and Virgil barely suppresses a cry, he is unsure if it was pain or fear that coursed through him as the other looked at the bruising on his forearm.  
“I mean… This is fascinating… If I can get someone to get it off or-” Nates words fall into a panicked blur, Virgil no longer understanding the questions or what is being spoken anymore. He barely can feel Roman behind him, his entire body, every sense is stuffed with cotton and he’s suddenly choking on the bitter air.   
But he can’t move. His vision is tunneled to the point he isn’t sure what he’s seeing and nothing seems right.   
For the second time in such a short amount of time, Virgil finds himself crumplling into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best but I feel like I might be getting into some writers block here so...


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton

The first thing Patton was aware of as he drifted back to consciousness was the bitter taste in his mouth, his throat dry and uncomfortable. He gritted his teeth, almost able to feel the grit that seemed to be there.

The next thing is a comforting voice, and he feels the gentle pull of someone running their hand through his hair. When had he last had kind contact? It felt as though he only knew pain.

Finally, Patton drags his eyes open, and he looks up to see Logan, kneeling beside the bed. Staring at Patton as though he were all he needed in the world. His face lights up as he sees Patton's eyes open. 

“Pat!” He whispers, grinning and moving a bit closer, Patton only nods his head slightly, before shakily moving his arm. With a rounded hand, he places his thumb to his lip and feebly signs ‘drink’. He couldn’t trust that his throat would even work with how dry it was. Logan watches him, nodding quickly and hopping to his feet, he crosses the room quickly, grabbing a water bottle and bringing it to Patton. 

He sets it  on the floor, moving carefully to help Patton sit up, and then helps him with the cup to his lips, he tilts it slowly, and Patton relishes the liquid and swallows, taking a long sip before Logan pulls it away, he watches, still too tired to protest really, despite the fact that he wants more…

“I know… But if you chug it all you’ll puke and thats the opposite of helping…” Logan answers, reading the frustrated expression on his face. 

Silence fills the room as Logan helps Patton take gentle sips for a while, obviously working up the courage to try and speak to Patton about something, Patton couldn’t be bothered to spend the energy to figure out why.

“Do you still remember me?” Logan asks, and the question brings back the horrors before he had blacked out. Of course Logan was anxious, he had been forced to forget Logan, and they had no idea how permanent the effects could be. 

Patton nods, still not trusting his voice to work correctly. He takes a deep breath, lowering his middle and ring fingers and pressing the mostly opened palm to Logan, ‘I love you.’

Logan chuckled softly, leaning forward, tears sparkling in his eyes, “Pat may I kiss you…?” 

Patton presses his hand against Logans chest, giving a small nod. Logan closes the little space that still sat between them for a gentle kiss. Patton closes his eyes, wanting to melt into the warmth and safety Logan currently offered, his hand slowly closing to clutch Logans shirt.

Somehow, the kiss lasts too long, and not long enough, but the few moments have passed and Logan pulls away, pressing a kiss to Patton's forehead, “God… I thought…”

Patton is surprised to hear the thick emotion in Logans voice, as he stares at Patton. Tears slip down Logans face and Patton carefully reaches, wiping them away with one hand, Logan chuckles softly when he does, and presses another kiss to Patton's cheek. He presses another, and another, and soon is peppering Patton's face until a small giggle forces its way out of his throat, Logan smiles, “I love you too, Patton…” 

 

They stay on the bed for what feels like ages, but eventually, shouting grabs their attention, Patton looks over at Logan and the two carefully begin to stand, Logan checking that Patton is safely balanced.

One arm around Patton's waist,  the two walk out, and walk toward the kitchen, where theres at least three people shouting. 

They arrive in the door way and Patton stops in his tracks, staring at the floor. Virgil is unconscious and Roman is frantically trying to wake him, while two other men rush around the house.  

The two move forward, but by the time they reach Virgil, he’s already starting to come to. He groans softly, looking around the chaos and closing his eyes again. 

“Virgil? Virg are you alright?” Roman cries, squeezing the others hand. Virgil groans again and gives a slight nod, still laying on the floor.

“...panic… panic attack…” He murmurs quietly, taking another deep breath. 

Roman nods, and it seems to be something that went on before Logan and Patton had arrived in the room. Roman helps Virgil sit up and he rubs his eyes tiredly.

“Patton, those two are Remy, aka Sleep, and Nate…” Logan whispers, as he catches Patton's eyes wandering to the other two in the room. Pat nods quietly, pulling himself up from the ground and finally lowering himself into a chair on the table. They hadn’t done much, but he was still exhausted. He leaned forward as the others quieted down, and zoned out of the chaos around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I type this in Google Docs and then copy and paste it here and if anyone is interested in knowing this it is now an 87 page long google doc so uh, yeah...
> 
> Anyways, interested in more of my writing? I started a little drabble thing where I'm posting ideas or scenes that I don't really want to flesh out into a whole idea so yeah.


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan

Logan sat in the front room with Remy, chewing his lip as he looked over some of the notes that Remy had scrawled across the coffee table. The other three had gone out on a walk, per Patton's request, and he had declined. 

“Can I see your arm?” 

Logan stirs slightly at Nates voice, looking up to the other.

“You are ignoring it, to take care of Patton… I get it… but now that he’s gone, I want to check you haven’t torn your stitches…”

Logan grimaces as he adjusts, the pain medication starting to wear off, but he allows Nate to look over the two wounds, ignoring the annoyed mutters he’s giving Logan. 

“Patton doesn’t need to know I am uncomfortable…”

“Uncomfortable? Logan you’re lucky to be alive right now, let alone have a functioning arm. You’re some god damned miracle and you’re over here being stubborn.”

Logan doesn’t reply, and simply watches as Nate carefully rewraps the injuries. 

“Hurt?” He notes, catching the gasp Logan gives when his hand brushes the wound on his side.

Logan finally nods, and gratefully accepts the medications that Nate hands him, swallowing them quickly. He sets his glass back on the table and looks over the paper work again. 

“So, you think you can remove Virgil’s timer?”

Nate nods, pulling out a stack of papers, “I think so… But I don’t have nearly the supplies to do something that scale, at least not as safely as it should be done…”

“And the rebellion?” Logan pushes, watching Nate shuffle more papers around. 

“Like Rem said, its tabled for a bit… We’ve gotta get you guys healed up, and Virgil's arm taken care of… And this fire will surely cause some problems…”

“But-”

“Listen. Rebellion is tabled, 6 months at least.” Nate snaps.

“We can-” Logan protests and he’s cut off angrily by Nate,

“I said no!  Its too dangerous, too stupid, and its not happening! No ifs ands or buts Logan!”   
Logan would have punched him if he had the energy, but he really needed to rest so that he could be there to support Patton when he got back. He glares at Nate, before pulling the papers back to himself, looking over them. His messages with Remy in captivity where printed off, copies of different publishings the boys had sent out. 

Building plans, notes, proof, medical records. The dozens of sheets of paper were covered in uniform printing, Remys scribbles, and now even his own tidy notes at times he had found things to add. 

Nate takes a deep breath, grabbing the TV Remote and looking at Logan, “Do you want to know part of the reason we’re putting this on hold?”

Logan frowns, watching as Nate turns on the television, flipping through the stations. He surveys the buttons on the remote, flips through a few more channels, and stops. 

Logan blinks, surprised to see grainy film bits of him, of the others. 

“Those cameras? They documented a lot of it on national television… Squished a lot of the rebellion that had begun to spark… People are scared Logan… So in a few months, we launch again… With you all as survivors…”

Logan frowned at the screen, “This didn’t just prove that we were right?”

“They edited it very carefully… Made you guys out to be more terrorists, instead of freedom fighters…”

“People… Saw this?”

“People are seeing this, still.” Nate sighs, switching the screen off. Logan keeps frowning at the reflection in the black screen.

Logan finally nods, leaning back from the table and closing his eyes. He still feels his wounds, though they’ve continued to lessen since Nate had given him some more painkillers.

“This sucks…” Logan sighs, and Nate nods.

“Pretty much…”

The loud laughter of the other three grab Logans attention as he sits up quickly. He moves to the door quickly, opening it to smile at the group as they make their way up the driveway. 

It was relieving to see the three with smiles on their faces, Virgil had his hand curled around Romans and Patton had an arm over Virgil's shoulder. They laughed and Patton looked up, grinning to see Logan at the door waiting.

“Lo!” He breaks from the group, taking his steps as fast as he can and moving closely into Logans arms, pressing a kiss to his lips, “Mmm, Missed you…” He murmurs softly, and Logan smiles, pulling the smaller one closer. 

“I missed you too… How was the walk?” 

“Wonderful… Next time you’ve got to come!” Patton urged and Roman grinned at them, 

“Yeah, who else would be there to bore us with the laws of nature…”

“Ro…!” Virgil squeezes his hand, chuckling as Logan smiles at them.

“Will do Roman… Will do…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Bitchmas Everybody,


End file.
